Four Leaf Clover
by Athena13
Summary: Started with a challenge of a Jolie affair. AU. John and Natalie are living together and Natalie becomes a PI with Rex. A case comes along that threatens to divide them.
1. Chapter 1

**Four Leaf Clover**  
Athena13

A/N: this is a response to the challenge below. I'm being liberal with the show's timeline for this period – it begins March 2005 – and you might recognize some actual J & N dialogue. I'm also being a bit snarky, hope you enjoy!

Trinitytrp's Challenge: John is with Vang, claiming to be committed to her, but in one of the numerous battles our fabulous couple seem to get in to they end up tearing at each other's clothes and going at it.. they say it was a mistake, but inexplicably, it keeps happening, until they are eventually start a relationship behind Vang's back... I would prefer it be a little dark, but how dark or lighthearted, or how or if Evangaline finds out, if Chris plays into it, etc. is totally up to you.

>>>>>

"It's about her!" Evangeline Williamson spit out between her clenched teeth.

John McBain, her lover for the past nine months looked impassively at her as she stood at the foot of the bed naked and arms akimbo and ranted about the cell phone call he had just answered.

"Answer me!" she shouted.

"It's work."

"And you work with her! I heard her voice!"

"She's Bo's assistant. He needs me to come in." John sighed and pushed the comforter aside and walked over to the dresser to grab some clean clothes. He had enough time for a quick shower, but not enough time – or energy – to deal with a fit of jealousy.

"She calls and you go running."

"It's business." John walked to the bathroom.

"Don't walk away from me!"

"I need to shower and get to the station. Why don't you get some sleep? I'm sure you had a long day in court."

"I wasn't in court today! Don't you ever listen to a word I say?" She clenched her lips and tilted her head when she heard the shower come on. Enraged she went to stand in front of the mirror. She ran her hands from breastbone to thigh. She turned and studied herself. Her angry look turned into a baffled look, which looked pretty much the same but with a different degree of tilt to her head.

"How could he walk away from this and to her?" She huffed at her reflection. "I'm amazing, beautiful, educated and have more class than that Vega woman." She cupped her breasts and scowled a bit. Maybe she should consider that boob job her sister Layla had written about from Los Angeles?

>>>>

"Hey." John came up behind Natalie who was pulling a bunch of files from the cabinet behind her desk.

"Hi." Natalie turned her head and smiled at him. "Bo is talking to Mario, he'll be done in a few minutes. Want some coffee?"

"Nah. I can get it myself. How come you're working so late?" John leaned back against the cabinet and crossed his arms.

"I decided to go back to school this quarter and finish my degree. Bo is letting me fit work into my school schedule."

"I didn't know that. Good for you." He looked bothered that he hadn't known.

"It's good to keep busy. Bo's free." Natalie glanced past him. "Get a cup in Bo's office, it's fresher."

"Thanks." John reached out his hand to touch her, but pulled back at the last moment. He awkwardly turned it into a wave and then shoved it into the pocket of his zippered Mr. Roger's sweater.

Natalie watched him walk away and wondered what had happened to the black leather jacket he always looked so hot in.

>>>>>

When John came out of Bo's office he noticed Natalie was nowhere to be seen. He wondered if she had gotten off duty since it was almost ten at night. Feeling a bit let down he headed for his office to work on the Killing Club case.

>>>>>

Natalie put a steaming mug of coffee down on John's desk and turned to walk out seeing John was engrossed in the file he was reading.

"I didn't know you were still here." He looked up at her, a smile breaking out across his face.

Natalie turned around. "I didn't mean to interrupt you. Sorry."

"Nah. I needed to take a break. It's almost midnight, what are you doing here?" He put the file down and leaned forward.

"I was just leaving. I have off tomorrow and I wanted to make sure you and Bo were set up for the task force meeting." Natalie ran her finger over the top of John's desk.

"That's at eight, isn't it?" John sighed and rubbed his eyes.

"Yeah. You should probably get some sleep first."

John unconsciously frowned as he remembered that Evangeline was probably still in his room. She would have forgotten about her earlier tirade and try to sex him up thinking he had forgotten as well. He was simply too tired and annoyed to deal with it.

"What's wrong?" Natalie asked, picking up on his mood.

"Let me take you home, it's late and there's a killer on the loose." John stood up and grabbed for his sweater, then with an impatient toss he threw it towards the couch and reached behind his office door for the leather jacket hanging on the coat rack next to the file cabinet. "Unless you want shoot a game of pool with me first? Have a beer, maybe a burger?" He asked impulsively.

"You have to be back here before eight."

"I'm too wired to sleep yet." The tiredness of earlier suddenly lifting. "Unless you have to be up early?"

"No. My first class isn't until eleven."

"What do you say? You owe me a rematch."

"Sure, why not." Natalie didn't bother to hide the smile that lit her face at the prospect of a night with John.

>>>>>

"I don't know how, but you definitely cheated." John tossed his stick on the table that Natalie had ruled three games running.

"No. I'm just that good. You've always loved that about me." Natalie grinned, high on her victory and John's company.

"Hmmm." John winked and put his hand around her shoulders. "Let's go eat those burgers before they get cold."

They sat companionably and ate their food and drank their beer. Not much was said between them other than "pass the ketchup" and comments on the value of late night grease and a shared memory or two on greasy spoons in AC they had in common. It was pure bliss for John who was used to Evangeline nattering at him non-stop at meals and every other time for that matter.

"Are you still doing criminal justice?" John asked.

"Yeah." Natalie looked up in surprise at John's question.

"What do you plan to do after your degree is done?"

"I'll be done in June, but I don't know. I was thinking about law school or becoming a cop before. I don't know what I want now. I just want to finish something."

John narrowed his eyes and studied her.

"What?"

"Trying to picture you as a cop." He grin broadened into a full-fledged smile.

"You think I couldn't do it?" Natalie raised her eyebrows and looked at him challengingly.

"You got the street smarts and you're tough, but no. Not really." He crinkled his nose.

"I don't know whether to kick your ass or laugh at your ridiculous expression, which I suspect was part of your strategy."

"Busted. Let's get you home." John and Natalie smiled at each other for a moment before getting themselves ready to leave.


	2. Chapter 2 Smut

Got Smut?

A/N - I've edited this section slightly to remove the reference to faux cris since I decided that never happened in this storyline.

Part 2  
>>>>

"Hey Mikey. Yeah, I'll be right there. Thanks."

"What now?" Evangeline looked up from her martini. They were sitting and having a late dinner at the Palace.

"There's something going on at Rodi's. I need to get over there."

"Rodi's. Don't tell me. Natalie needs you."

"She's going through a rough time. I'm her friend." John stood up and walked out.

>>>>>

John walked into Rodi's where Jen and Natalie were in a stand off. Riley and Mikey were trying to intervene without success. Marcie was standing with her hands over her mouth watching.

"You loved Cristian so much that you got him killed because you had too much pride to throw a pool game."

Looking like she had been punched in the face, Natalie lifted her arm to slap the blond woman who was clearly more than a little drunk.

"Whoa!" John grabbed Natalie around the waist and pulled her back. "Get your girlfriend out of here before I arrest her for public intoxication!"

Riley, looking more than a little upset, told Michael and Marcie they should take care of her and stormed out.

"Whoa. Hey." John lifted Natalie's cranberry leather jacket off the chair and pulled her outside to cool down. "Hey." He put the jacket around her shoulders and put his hands on her face. "You going to be all right?"

"Yeah, sure, great." Natalie said, but she was clearly anything but great.

"Hey. You're shaking." John put his arms around Natalie and pulled her close. From behind him he heard Jen arguing with Michael and Marcie on their way out of Rodi's. "Come on." John left his arm around Natalie's shoulders and guided her away.

>>>>>

"What are we doing here?" Natalie asked as they got to the Angel Square hotel. "I haven't been drinking."

"I know. But you're still shaken up. Come upstairs, chill out. Have a beer. Then I'll take you home."

"You don't have to keep doing that." Natalie pulled back.

"Yeah, I do. Come on." He whipped them through the lobby and up the stairs before Roxy came out from her office.

Natalie stood against the wall with her eyes closed as she waited for John to unlock the door to his room. He grabbed her hand and pulled her inside. He slid the coat off her shoulders and pushed her onto the couch. He went to his fridge and grabbed a couple of beers. He popped the tops and handed her one.

"You're usually telling me to not drink."

"You could use one tonight." He sat own on the chair and looked at her. "The stuff Jen said about Cristian, that wasn't right."

"That's the thing, John. It was right." Natalie covered her eyes with her hand.

"Hey." John got up and sat on the coffee table in front of her. He took her beer, put it down next to him and tried to pull her into his arms.

Natalie moved her hand and pulled away from him.

John jerked back and knocked his beer off the table onto the floor.

"I need to go." Natalie stood up and headed for the door.

"You're not going out there alone!" John stood up and grabbed her arm before she could open the door.

"Just stop it, John. Stop doing this."

"Stop what? Being your friend?"

"Yes. I can't do this. I can't just be your friend. I can't lean on you every time I'm upset." Natalie's voice was quiet and calm and all the more effective for it.

"Natalie, I…you." John stopped and rubbed his forehead. "I'm not too good with the words, but you mean a lot to me Natalie."

"You're with Evangeline."

"And you're my friend."

Natalie let out a bitter laugh. "You keep saying that and you might believe it. But I doubt it, John." Natalie raised her chin and looked him in the eyes.

"I'm telling you the truth."

"Then stop trying to pick up the pieces for me all the time. Stop looking at me across the squad room like you want to take off my clothes. " Natalie moved in closer. "If you can."

"Natalie." John's voice was a rough whisper.

"What's wrong, John?" Natalie moved her head so her hair fell over one cheek.

"We should clear the air," John whispered.

"Oh, I agree, John. Complete honesty is the only way. You sure you can handle that?"

"I think it's time."

"Okay. On a scale of one to ten, how much do you want me right now?"

"I…I don't." John swallowed.

"Liar." Natalie put her hand over John's chest. "Your heart is racing, you're practically panting and…" she moved to put her other hand over his obvious arousal. Before she could cup him he grabbed her wrist and pressed her back against the door. She laughed as he glared. Her other hand moved up his chest, over his shoulder and wrapped around his neck. Now, he was panting against her, but he wasn't pulling away.

"Waiting for me to kiss you, John?" Natalie sneered.

In a flash John pressed her up against the door and buried his hands in her hair. Before she could speak he seared her with a kiss that melted her bravado. When he finally pulled back from the rough mating she would have fallen in a puddle at his feet if he hadn't been pressing her against the door. They looked into each other's eyes, breathing heavy. She searched for something to say, but there were no words and soon there were no need of any.

Their lips never parted as they stripped off their clothes and backed towards the bed. John fell back, pulling Natalie on top of him. His hands slid down her back to her hips and he flipped them over. He reached for something out of the bedside table drawer and before either of them could think better of it he was sheathed and driving into her.

Her legs wrapped around his waist as her back arched and she took him deep inside with a cry of ecstasy. As he stretched and filled her they opened their eyes and looked at each other. Their bodies vibrated as the reality of what they had done, were doing, hit them.

John's arms trembled as he held himself above her. For an endless moment they waited to see what the other would say or do. John tried to muster a shred of regret, but none came. Natalie looked for guilt, but the only word the came was "finally."

As it rang out between them, John pulled back. She clenched her hands in his hair, afraid he was going to pull out, but he only surged forward causing them both to moan in relief and pleasure.

"I'm ain't stopping," John panted as he began to drive into her again and again and again.

"Good." Natalie slid her tongue into his mouth and met his every stroke with the full force of her body. Sweat began to slick their bodies as they flew towards release. Natalie got tighter around his hardness and time got lost in their frenzy. Before either was prepared, Natalie began to break beneath him, stars and light blinding her as her muscle milked and pulled him towards his own break. Their cries floated into moans and then sighs.

John flipped them over and wrapped his arms around Natalie as they caught their breathes and came back to their senses. He buried his nose in her neck and tasted the salt off her skin. Natalie pressed gentle kisses over his face.

Ten minutes later they lay side by side, connected only by their fingers.

"This was a mistake."

Natalie sighed at John's expected disclaimers. She was too physically and emotionally shattered to muster up a mad.

"I didn't mean for that to happen." John tried again.

"It definitely shouldn't happen again." Natalie figured she might as well chime in.

"Definitely not. It's wrong." John let go of her hand.

Natalie curled her hand into a fist to try and block out the loss.

"Although."

Natalie turned her head to find John leaning over her, his blue eyes looking soft and hard at the same time.

"Don't they say, in for a penny, in for a pound?"

"Mmmmm."

With that John slid a hand up her torso to cup her breast.


	3. Chapter 3 Smut

Part 3  
>>>>>

Natalie deliberately didn't look up when Evangeline Williamson came walking past her desk to go see John. She knew the lawyer was only walking past her to make a point as she could have easily reached John's office from the other hallway. It took everything in Natalie to not react, especially when she still felt sore from last night.

But everything she had wasn't quite enough to keep her sitting at her desk. Natalie stood up, conscious of every twinge from her night of passion with John. Every bruise and every hickey. She picked up the pile of files that were to go to the archives and like Evangeline she took an unneeded detour.

With her pulse pounding, Natalie's steps slowed as she reached John's office. Moving slowly so she wouldn't be noticed and could see through the blinds. Her breath caught as she saw John take the other woman into his arms. With a gasp Natalie rushed past and out of sight.

An hour later Natalie was back at her desk trying to bury herself in her work and wondering if perhaps she had made a mistake in letting Bo and Rex convince her to take this job. Maybe she should have just finished her last quarter full-time and gone back to work at Rodi's? As she warred with herself about quitting and standing her ground her telephone rang. With a sigh she saw that it was an internal call from John's extension.

"Natalie Vega. Be right there." Steeling herself, Natalie went to see what John wanted.

"What do you need?" Natalie just bit back a "Sir."

Sensing the coldness in her voice, John's eyes narrowed.

"I saw you lurking outside my office when Evangeline was here."

"I was on my way to the archives."

"And walking past my office is out of your way. I thought we cleared the air already."

"Sure we did. Did you need anything else, Lieutenant?" Natalie schooled her face into impassivity.

"This isn't going to work." John stood up and put his hands on his hips.

"What isn't going to work."

"We have to work together."

"If that's all you wanted to say I'm going to get back to _work_." Natalie spun around and started towards the door.

"Wait!"

"Did you need something else, Sir?" Natalie turned around, a smirk tilting her mouth.

"We obviously need to talk."

"So talk." Natalie shrugged.

"Not here." John walked around the desk and grabbed her by the arm and walked her to the stairs.

"Let go." Natalie pulled out of his grasp.

"Are you going to come along peaceably?"

"Am I under arrest or something?"

"No." John, one hand on his hip, ran his other hand through his hair and let out a breath. "Will you come downstairs and talk with me?"

"Fine." Natalie led the way to the evidence rooms, the only rooms in the basement. She paused to sign in the log book and waited while he did the same. Then she waited while he took out his key card and let them into the secure area.

"What is it you wanted to say?" Natalie said as the door slammed shut behind them. Her back was to him. She could hear his breathing in the empty hallway.

"I don't want to lose our friendship over this. We need to get past this."

Natalie spun around and pinned him with a glare. "Need?" She sneered?

John grimaced, but before he could speak, he heard the lock mechanism begin to release behind him. He grabbed her hand and quickly pulled her into the closest evidence locker.

He waited until he heard the footsteps pass them and another locker shut before he spoke.

"You mean a lot to me, Natalie. Last night was a mistake. I thought we agreed on that."

"We did. Each time before we made love again. This morning too, come to that."

"Sex. We had sex. I knew…" John sighed and paced around the little space, his hands on his hips again. "I'm sorry you're upset. It's the last thing I wanted."

"You don't know what you want."

"What's that supposed to mean?" John stopped pacing and looked at her.

"Why was last night a mistake?"

"You know why."

"No. I don't. Tell me."

"Because I'm with Evangeline."

"Why?"

Natalie's simple question seemed to flummox the astute cop. Natalie smiled as John's stance took on an obvious air of defensiveness.

"John, tell me. Why are you with Evangeline when you obviously want me? When you don't love her."

"How do you know what's between us?" John triumphantly shot back to her.

"Besides the fact that she parades your entire relationship before all of Llanview? Because I know you. A lot better than she does. And just as intimately." Natalie's last words were full of suggestiveness.

"What goes on between Evangeline and I is none of your business."

"I beg to differ. Especially after last night." Natalie walked up to John cornering him against the door. She could feel the heat pouring off him and could practically hear the wheels of his mind creaking as he sought an out to this confrontation. Natalie made up her mind there and then to stop giving him easy outs. She had done so last night and again this morning. No more. It was about time she fought for what she wanted.

"Natalie, you know I care about you."

"I do know that you care about me. I also know that you want me. Badly." Just like last night Natalie put her hand over him and looked him in the eyes. "Almost as much as I want you. Right now. Right here."

"Natalie." John's voice was a shaky plea.

"I love it when you say my name like that." Natalie slid the zipper of his dress pants down.

He grabbed her wrist.

They stared into each other's eyes. Time ticked past.

Natalie licked her lips and slid her other hand inside his pants to stroke his pulsing arousal. Both of them were panting as Natalie undid the button of his pants with her fingers and pulled his hard on out. With stunning speed John grabbed her other wrist, pulled her flush against him and bent down to ravage her mouth.

As his lips slid down her throat he let go of her hands and she slid her fingers into his hair. He slid his hands up her skirt, she heard his muttered oath as he hastily traced the tops of her stockings over the front of her thigh before he pulled her panties down and plunged his fingers into her wet core.

With a gasp Natalie pulled at his hair and began panting his name.

With a growl John lifted her up, Natalie clamped her thighs around his hips as he plunged into her. Their mouths met, swallowing up their cries as he leveraged her hips up and down around him.

All too soon they were meeting in climax.

Natalie hung onto him as she tried to gather her wits. Wits she knew she would need to face John's expected guilt-motivated resistance. And fear, she realized now. In the moment before he grabbed her other hand and began his ravishment she saw the fear flare fully in his blue eyes. Not a little reticence, not just guilt because of Caitlin and Las Vegas. He was afraid of her. Now that she knew what she was up against she could devise ways to counter it.

John held her heat and weight against him as he leaned, panting and sweating against the door. In his mind he was repeating "wait, wait, wait." He just wanted to feel her against him, smell her, taste her. Just a bit longer, before he had to push her away again. Unconsciously, his fingers tightened and dug into her hips.

Natalie relished his passionate hold on her as she felt him soften and slide out of her. She buried her nose in his neck and breathed in his aroused scent.

As their skin cooled and their breath came back to normal, she suddenly felt cold. It wasn't the stuffy room. It was John.

"Here we go," she said to herself as she straightened her legs.

With a saucy look at him she reached down and pulled her panties back up her legs. She let him see the lacy tops of her stockings before reaching back down to straighten the black leather boots encasing her calves.

She stood up and flipped her hair. She smiled at him, standing against the door, his pants and underwear around his ankles.

"As far as mistakes go, that was a good one."

"Natalie." He tried to scowl, but felt too vulnerable in his undressed state to pull it off. He put his hand out and pushed her back so he could bend down and straighten himself out. He tried not to start at her sexy legs as he unbent back to standing and zipped himself back up. He tried not to stare at the cleavage peeking out at him from the top of her black wine colored shirt.

Natalie debated saying something witty or asking him again why he was with Evangeline, but decided to say nothing. She wasn't going to fill in the silence or direct his thoughts. She could tell he was wishing she would, but she just watched him. She didn't even bother to point out that if he wanted to escape he was blocking the door.

"Natalie, I…"

Just then there was a knock at the door.

"Lieutenant McBain? Are you in there? There's been an accident."

--


	4. Chapter 4 Smut

Part 4  
>>>>>

"I had a lovely evening last night, Natalie. How about you?"

Natalie took a step back and considered pinching herself. She looked around the sedate campus for someone, anyone to save her. Nothing. With a sigh she turned and faced her least favorite person.

"It's been so long since we talked, girl to girl."

"A really long time, Evangeline." Natalie didn't know whether to laugh out loud or run. This woman was clearly off her rocker. Or, Natalie's eyes narrowed, she had something she wanted to rub in. "Why was your evening so wonderful?"

"John." Evangeline said his name on a sigh. "He brought me flowers and took me out to the Palace. Then, well, you know. It was the first time he brought me flowers."

"Really, John McBain sending flowers, that is surprising. Listen, I really have to get going. I have class in ten minutes." Natalie brushed by the lawyer, not bothering to ask why she was standing in front of the law school building on campus.

"Oh, Natalie."

"Yes." Natalie turned around.

"Why don't I walk you in? I'm teaching this portion of your criminal law class. As a favor to my good friend Dean Martin."

"I wouldn't want to look like a teacher's pet." Natalie smiled and rushed on ahead. Evangeline teaching her law class? "I wonder if John knows yet?" she muttered to herself.

>>>>>

"How was school?" John asked as she put a file on his desk. It was dusk now and she had just gotten on shift after getting a bite to eat on campus and being grilled by her classmates about the woman lawyer who would be teaching their upper level crim law class for the next couple of weeks.

"Pretty interesting, actually." Natalie walked around the desk and settled on the corner.

"Don't do that." John said automatically.

"Don't you want to know why class was so interesting?" Natalie asked, lowering her voice to be more intimate and pique just a bit more than his interest.

"Fine." John dropped his pen and leaned back in his chair. "Why was class so interesting?" He plastered on his "let's humor Natalie" smile.

Natalie grinned when she saw him keep glancing between her breasts and her face.

"I have work to do, Natalie." He knew he'd been caught. As usual.

"We got a guest teacher for our criminal procedure portion of my crim law class. A real lawyer."

"Didn't you tell me that this class was in the law school? Aren't all the teachers by definition lawyers?"

"You listened? Yeah, it is. But this isn't a professor, this is a practicing lawyer. Someone you know, rather well."

John opened his mouth to speak, then stopped and swallowed.

"Your girlfriend didn't tell you that she's my teacher? How awkward." Natalie stood up and picked up his pen.

"There's nothing awkward about it. We've talked about this."

"We have. I just thought you'd like to know. In case you thought to meet me at school for dinner on Tuesday or Thursday." She rubbed the pen between her fingers. It was slightly obscene and John's face reddened.

"Natalie, we aren't having a relationship." He grabbed his pen back.

Natalie turned around and walked towards the door, her long red hair swinging. "Same time tonight?" She asked, her hand on the door knob.

"Yeah."

"She really appreciated the flowers. Aren't you glad I thought of them?" With a lascivious grin she opened the door and walked out.

>>>>>

Natalie slid the key into lock and pushed the door open. She sighed when she saw John prowling about the room, a beer in his hand. She walked in and closed the door behind her.

He was warring with himself again, she saw. His lips curved into a smile, but it didn't reach his stormy blue eyes. She put her bag down on the couch and walked over to the fridge and got herself a beer.

They'd been seeing each other in their "non-relationship" now for two months. The first few times they'd been together John had tried to pull back and swear it would never happen again. After the fourth time, when he had shown up at Llanfair to talk to her and "put an end to things once for all," he stopped making promises he didn't really want to keep.

Natalie had been surprised that he had continued to see her and not break up with Evangeline. It didn't seem in character for John and it had Natalie worried, worried enough that she hadn't pressed him on it. So while she wanted him to be able to look at her all the time with the love she saw in his eyes when she woke up in his arms and she wanted to be more than a mistress, she decided to wait and see what he would do.

Also, Natalie admitted to herself, she kind of enjoyed have one over on Evangeline who had from day one loved shoving her sexual relationship with John in her face.

Ultimately, Natalie knew she would either end up with John all to herself or it would end because of whatever it was that held him back from her and kept him clinging to the pretense of his relationship with that woman.

Right now it was starting to feel a lot like a roll of the dice on which outcome it would be and John's mood only reinforced that.

"Do need another beer?" She asked.

"Yeah."

Natalie grabbed another and handed it to him. He tossed the empty into the recycle bin and walked around her.

Natalie frowned and watched him. Something was different tonight. Her heart sped up and she took a bracing sip of her beer.

"This has got to stop, Natalie. I'm with Evangeline and this is wrong. This could really hurt her if she finds out."

"Are you planning to tell her? Because I'm not."

John frowned and took another drag of his beer.

"She's suspected this all along, hasn't she?"

"How do you know that?"

"Please. Do you think it's just you she's thrown accusations at all this time? Natalie, stop calling him. Natalie, I give you permission to lean on him. Natalie." The last was said in a snide imitation of the woman and with a roll of Natalie's blue eyes.

John sighed and sat down heavily in the chair kitty corner with the couch.

"Sorry, I shouldn't have said that. Do you want me to leave?" Natalie asked.

John looked up at her, his eyes burned and he shook his head.

She walked up to him and got down on her knees in front of him. He put his hand on her face and stroked her skin, pushed her hair behind her ears and drank her in. Tears pricked her eyes. She knew she saw love in his expression. But why couldn't he be with her fully?

As John's arm slid around her back and arched her body into his, Natalie began to see that soon this affair would turn to resentment and jealousy if it didn't change soon. His tongue slid between her lips and he leaned forward and they hovered over the coffee table.

"Tomorrow," Natalie whispered.

"What?" John asked as he took their beers and tossed them on the floor, heedless of the spillage and he lay her down on the table and began to unbutton her shirt.

"Nothing." Natalie reached up and tore at his shirt.

Clothing was tossed aside, skin was tasted and teased.

John cupped her breasts and drank from her dusky nipples. One then the other, again and again as she arched and grabbed at him. Her breath was a raspy plea as his hard manhood teased at her thighs. She tried to wrap her legs around him, but he slid his finger inside her stopping her greedy movements. She saw stars as he slid another, then another and began to invade her in time with his bites on her sensitized aureoles.

"You taste so good," John groaned.

"I need you. Inside. Now. Please. John." Natalie writhed under him. "John."

"Say it. Say it." John's mouth hovered over her lips.

"I love you, John. I love only you. Aaaaah!" Natalie cried out as he plunged his hardness inside her and began to ride. One hand grabbed at her hip, his other tangled in her gorgeous red hair as his lips mated with hers.

"Say it!" He commanded again.

"I." Kiss. "Love." Kiss. "Only." Kiss. Suck. "You."

John reached down and pressed his finger against her pulsing center and pushed her over the edge. They pounded together as she saw pulsed around him and pulled him with her into the stratosphere of pleasure.

They lay panting against each other for a few minutes.

John stroked her body gently as Natalie ran her fingers over his scalp.

"This must hurt." John reached under her and lifted her up, still straddling his body. With a tenderness that belied the animal passion that had just passed between them, he lay her down on the bed and crawled up to lie next to her. He smiled tenderly at her and brushed her hair off her face.

"What is it about you that I can't deny myself, Natalie?"

Natalie knew she saw love there even though he had yet to say it. Or show it to the outside world. Her breath caught in her throat as she prepared to respond to his question.


	5. Chapter 5 Smut

Part 5  
>>>>>

"What is it about you that I can't deny myself, Natalie?"

Natalie knew she saw love there even though he had yet to say it. Or show it to the outside world. Her breath caught in her throat as she prepared to respond to his question.

"What" John asked, his voice husky.

She felt him stir against her, his arousal getting more insistent. It kindled a like reaction in her. Her hand tightened on his shoulder as she looked up at him. In that moment something broke inside her. It was the moment she had feared and she felt like she was breaking apart. She took a shaky breath, but was unable to fit the pieces back together. Not even her arousal could drown out the urgent voice in her head.

"What's wrong, Natalie?" John asked worriedly, still brushing her hair off her face.

Natalie closed her eyes and willed back the tears that threatened.

"I can't be your mistress anymore."

The words hung ominously between them.

"What?" John croaked, his fingers gripping her hair.

"What you…what I say to you, John. It's true. I love you. I want only you," Natalie said the words slowly. "This." Natalie stopped and tried to catch her breath. John lay still against her. She could feel his heart pounding against her.

"What?" he whispered.

"This arrangement hurts me."

"A few minutes ago you were just fine with it." John rolled away and sat up, his movements jerky. He pulled the sheet around him and turned his back on her.

"Yeah, I was. I tried to be. Now, I'm not." Natalie got to her knees and carefully put her hand on John's naked back. "I wanted you, John, anyway I could have you." She winced as she felt him stiffen underneath her hand.

"Is this an ultimatum?"

Natalie thought before she answered. "No," she said quietly.

John turned around quickly and grabbed her hands. Their eyes connected, held. He reached out and ran his hand from her cheek to her breast. His thumb circled and rubbed her swollen nub. His eyes narrowed with bitter vindication as he drew out her arousal.

He dipped his head and suckled her. His hand went to her back, his other still gripping her hand. On and on until he drew an unwilling moan from deep inside her he continued his ministrations. Her hands gripped his shoulders, pushing, pulling. Her center flooded with moisture and hot need. Slowly he lowered her onto the bed. His lips trailed from her aching breast down her stomach to her moist center. He buried his tongue inside her, his fingers playing her like a well-learned instrument. Within minutes she was pulsing above him; he drank her in like a man finding an oasis in the desert.

When her orgasm ceased he moved up her body and made her taste herself on his mouth. His mouth and hands brought her once again to a fever pitch before he slowly slid himself inside her.

Sweat shined their bodies as they slowly moved against each other like a volcano slowly waking. Their touches and tastes were tender as they cherished each other. For once John reached his pinnacle before Natalie, unable to wait he urged her on with his words and emptied himself inside her. As she felt him lose himself, Natalie too found another release.

John gathered her underneath him and buried his face in her hair.

"I can't give you what you want."

Natalie froze as she lost it all.


	6. Chapter 6

Part 6  
>>>>>

John gathered her underneath him and buried his face in her hair.

"I can't give you what you want."

Natalie froze as she lost it all. Then she pushed against him with all her might. She scrambled out of the bed and gathered up her clothing and pulled them. She found her purse and pulled out his room key. She held it in her hand as she remembered when he had given it to her. It had still be warm from Evangeline's hand right after she had returned it to him, unwillingly.

Natalie had tried not to make it mean anything that he had given it to her instead. She had to admit now that she failed.

John pulled on his pants and stood in the entry from the bedroom to the living room and watched her.

Natalie put the key on the coffee table, stepped over the spill of beer and walked out the door.

John closed his eyes and rubbed his hand over his heart.

>>>>>

Natalie walked into the Diner prepared for battle.

It had been five days since she had returned John's key and walked out of his hotel room. Since then, he had avoided her as much as possible at work and had escaped for a couple of days to go with Evangeline to a family funeral. She refused to let him know how much the family trip and his avoidance bothered her and went on like nothing had ever happened.

She knew how to make herself look undaunted, growing up with a volatile Roxy and the mean streets of AC had taught her that much, even if she had mostly given that up since becoming part of the Buchanan clan. John, she noticed with glee, was not having as easy a time.

She could see the lust and the love he wouldn't acknowledge in his eyes every time he saw her. Like this afternoon at Llanfair when he had shown up unexpectedly to talk about their dormant affair and to try and rekindle their platonic friendship.

Dormant was the correct word, she admitted. She still loved and wanted him beyond reason. It was only her pride that had her stand her ground and refuse to go back to anything they had before – be it as lovers or friends. She had kissed him just to prove a point and watched him slink out at Evangeline's beck and call fairly hobbled by his desire for Natalie.

Of course, pride was not keeping her company at night or making it any easier to be apart from him.

As she walked in John got up from the table he was sitting at with Evangeline and took a phone call. Natalie made sure to walk past him and was rewarded when he mouthed an unthinking "hi" at her chest. She didn't bother suppressing a smirk as she walked past Evangeline and went to make herself available to Carlota.

"Natalie to the rescue!"

"Oh, look at you -- always a sight for sore eyes." Carlotta put her hands on Natalie's arms.

"Well, Roxy told me about your Cinco de Mayo celebration."

"Yes?"

"And I thought maybe I could help you in some way. I know I'm a lousy cook."

"I will find plenty for you to do, believe me. You're an angel."

"Good, good. Well, I'm glad I could help out in any way. I'll be in the kitchen in just a minute."

"Oh, yeah. Whenever you're ready."

"Thanks. Ahem. Evangeline? Ahem. I need to apologize. I feel I may have offended you -- which I didn't mean to -- when I asked you about the funeral. "

"Don't sweat it."

"Is everything okay?" Natalie couldn't suppress a flare of hope in her stomach.

"Why wouldn't it be?"

God, Natalie hated it when Evangeline tilted her head and bugged her eyes out to look innocent. Her classmates had taken to calling her the "bug eyed monster". They definitely got it partially right. She was actually a whole lot more than just a monster. Natalie was kind of regretting letting John go so easily at this exact moment, just so she could secretly gloat about it. Not very admirable, but Natalie could live with that.

"I don't know, but, when you and John got back, John -- he just seemed so mad at the world, losing his temper left and right, and I've never seen him in such a bad mood." Which had made Natalie's day so much sweeter really, especially since she suspected it wasn't entirely about Evangeline and a lot to do with Natalie herself.

"Well, maybe he missed me."

"He did spend two very long days with you." Very, very long, Natalie finished the sentence in her head.

"Are you meeting someone here?"

"Why do you ask?" Natalie could tell that John was deliberately prolonging his phone conversation to avoid walking into the middle of the two women's conversation. The image brought a slight smile to her lips. Oh, she was so not going to make it easy for him.

"Well, you have become somewhat ubiquitous, haven't you? Wherever John is, there you are."

"Ubiquitous? Wow. Some vocabulary you got there."

"Sorry. Is it over your head?"

"That's why you said it -- to make me feel inferior." Natalie barely managed to not roll her eyes at Evangeline's amateur tactics.

"I don't need big words for that. Your inferiority has nothing to do with me."

This time Natalie couldn't quite suppress a giggle. "Actually, Evangeline, the more obnoxious you are, the more it's making me realize that you're the insecure one, not me. Oh, yeah, and for the record -- about me always being where John is? He came to see me at Llanfair, not the other way around."

"Yeah. He told me all about what happened at Llanfair, Natalie. How humiliating for you."

"F.Y.I. -- No, I am not meeting anyone here. I am here to help my former mother-in-law in the kitchen because being close to her makes me feel closer to Cristian, thank you. Oh -- and I'll stop being ubiquitous now."

Bitch. The unspoken word hung between them.

With that, Natalie turned on her heel and went to see Carlotta in the kitchen.

>>>>>

"I found the can we were looking…"

The can dropped from Natalie's bloodless fingers as her brain tried to take in what she was seeing. What she was smelling. She didn't even hear her own screams. She backed up, hitting her hip on the work table, and like an animal looked for somewhere to hide.

"Natalie? Natalie!"

John's voice sounded like it was coming from far away.

She saw him, gun drawn, slamming the back door closed. How did that get open?

"Natalie? Hey! Come here. Oh! Oh, God. I thought it was you. I thought it was you. You okay? Come on. You okay?"

Natalie felt his hand slipping around her and pulling her towards her warmth. Cold. She was so cold. She hung on for dear life.

"Easy. It's okay. It's okay."

His grip was bruising her body, causing blood to rush back and warm her as he guided her out of the kitchen. She had to hide her eyes.

But then the horror had only begun.

"Oh, my God! John, what happened?" Evangeline was there and speaking. And tilting her head.

Natalie shuddered against John. She felt a bit seasick.

>>>>>

Natalie smoothed her sweaty hands on her pants. John had run out there without back-up and everyone just wanted to sit around and wait.

Any thought of their affair and breakup ceased to matter. John was alone and could be in trouble and she was never one to wait.

When she heard the 1013 (and only fleetingly recognizing it as Mulder and Chris Carter's birthday) she knew she had to get to him.

She found him in the park gasping for breath, even in the dim lighting she could see the red welt forming on his neck and she reached out without thought to soothe it.

"What are you doing here?" He grabbed her hand.

"Are you all right?"

"I'm fine. You shouldn't be here. Hey -- don't ever put yourself on the line for me, Natalie!"

"Well, I couldn't just stay there." She wasn't rattled by his anger, she knew it was just worry.

"I don't care. You know what that did to me seeing you, thinking that was you there in kitchen?"

Wordlessly, Natalie shook her head. They just looked at each other, waiting. She saw the moment John locked his emotions behind the iron wall he used to hold himself distant from her, except when he was loving her body.

"Come on. I'll take you back to the diner."

Tentatively he put his arm around her shoulder. Suddenly exhausted from it all, Natalie acquiesced and let him silently lead her away.


	7. Chapter 7

>>>>>  
Part 7  
>>>>

Natalie hugged her pillow to her and tried to get the smell of burning flesh out of her nose. She took a ragged breath and forced her tired eyes to stay open. When she closed them all she could see was her doppelganger hunched over the fryer. In the scattered dreams she'd had when exhaustion had finally pulled her into sleep she could see the girl moving, trying to free herself. It was just a trick of her mind, but no matter how many times she reminded herself the image stayed.

God, she wished John was here right now. She missed his solid warmth enclosing her in his comforting hold. She hated herself for the weakness that had her missing a man who chose not to be beside her. Which one of them was the more foolish she wasn't sure, him for refusing the acknowledge the fire that burned in his blue eyes when he looked at her or her for wanting to claw at him and get him to admit how much he loved her.

"Stop it Natalie!" she ordered herself. She knew right where he was right now and it killed her. She had called the police station to see if he wanted to take her statement and been told he had gone home. The pain was not only jealousy, but how far from himself John had come from himself since he got involved with Evangeline. The John she had known and first loved would be at the office right now working tirelessly to get inside the mind of the killer and focused on nothing but bringing him down. Instead, he was at his girlfriend's swishy pad losing himself in meaningless sex.

Natalie rolled over on her back and looked at the ceiling. Meaningless sex, the phrase reverberated in her head. Was that all she was to him? While, she had enjoyed sticking it to Evangeline and she had enjoyed the lengths they went to in order to keep their affair secret, what had it all really meant to either of them? It was just like after Atlantic City, Natalie admitted. She had been too afraid of getting hurt and rejected; too afraid of losing John like she had Cristian to go for what she really wanted – a fully committed relationship with John. But what about John? Was he holding back because of her fears or because being with her was meaningless.

The thought was searing and seemed unbelievable, yet a few months ago the though that John McBain would engage in an affair behind his girlfriend's back seemed just as unlikely. What little he had said intimated that he and Evangeline had no plans for the future and something about strings. Natalie had not delved further, not wanting to have to confront her own conscience.

She could count on one hand the number of men she'd had sex with. Seth. James. Cristian. Paul. John. Just as John often queried why he couldn't stop himself from being with her, Natalie wondered how she had fallen into the relationship.

With a frustrated sigh Natalie sat up and turned on her bedside lamp. Sleep was clearly out, but she needed to silence her mind. Thinking about the Diner or John was driving her crazy. She couldn't focus enough to study. Maybe she should go into the station and work of the energy? Before she could stand up the telephone rang.

Frowning she answered.

"Hello?"

"Did I wake you?"

Calling herself a simpering fool in her head, Natalie's face relaxed into a smile as she heard John's voice.

"Actually, I was just going to get dressed and go into work."

"Can't sleep, huh?" She could hear the smile in his voice. "Me either. Want to meet me? I can take your statement. Buy you a coffee."

"There's no place open for a coffee this time of night."

"Then I'll make you one at the office. The good stuff."

"How about a donut?"

"I think there's some day olds in the kitchen."

"Nah, I need fresh grease and sugar."

"We could meet at Carl's on Route 9, have coffee too?"

"Half an hour?"

Natalie hung up the telephone and looked at it in bemusement for a few minutes before she got up and went to get ready.

>>>>>>>>>

John was already sitting at a booth in the back corner when Natalie arrived. She slid in the booth across from her and inhaled, gratefully, the scent of the hot coffee he had waiting for her. She smiled shyly as he handed her packets of Equal. She dumped in the sweetener and took a bracing sip of the hot black beverage. She looked around at the late night spot over the chipped blue mug.

"What?"

"Nothing." Natalie shrugged and put the coffee down and picked up the menu.

"I already ordered for you." He took it out of her hand. "What were you thinking?"

"John, drop it." At his stubborn look she sighed. "I was wondering why we never met here before. Happy?"

"Because it's out of the way and no one we know comes here." John's voice was flat. He held a hand up when she opened her mouth to speak. "It's fair. I figured that's what you were thinking because I was thinking the same thing when I got here."

Natalie leaned back in the booth and just looked at John.

"Your next question is what happened to us. I can honestly say I have no idea how we got here."

"What is here?"

"Yeah. I'm not too sure of that either. Evangeline and I are over."

Natalie toyed with the plain metal knife on the table, avoiding John's piercing gaze as she tried to sort out her feelings about the news.

"Who ended it?" she finally asked.

"I did." John tilted his head back and rubbed his eyes. "I ended it." This time his voice was firmer.

Natalie propped her chin on her hand, her elbow resting on the table and looked at him trying to discern whether he was happy about the news. All she could see was weariness. That was okay, she felt the same way.

The silence was broken only by the cute waiter bringing them their bacon, eggs and toast with a side of pancakes for them to share.

Natalie picked up the maple syrup – synthetic – and waved it at John who nodded before she proceeded to drown the baked goodies.

John dropped a hunk of butter into the middle of the mess.

There was no conversation for the next twenty minutes, only the sounds of them eating and the occasional clank of their forks as they went for the pancakes at the same time.

When their plates were clean and they had absorbed enough caffeine and sugar to make them eat jittery they finally looked at each other.

"Why?" Natalie asked.

"I thought you had died tonight and it suddenly occurred to me that these feelings weren't going to go away."

"What feelings?" Natalie's question was a hopeful whisper.

"I've always said we were friends. Close friends. Best friends." John reached across the table and took her hand. "Then we started that other stuff."

"Stuff?" Amusement lifted Natalie's tone, and lightened the mood between them.

"Sex. We started having sex."

Natalie nodded, urging him to go on.

"It was wrong of me, Natalie. To betray Evangeline like that, but I couldn't stop myself. I couldn't not be with you. The last week…well, it was really hard. No pun intended." John smirked before his face got serious again. "I tried to beat it back, wait it out. But once I knew what it was like to make love to you. To hold you. To wake up with you." John shook his head, words failing him.

The switch from the word sex to love did not go unnoticed by Natalie.

"It wasn't fair to you either, Natalie. I don't know how you feel about me, but you deserve better than to be my mistress as you so rightly called it. There's what was said in the heat of passion, or maybe I just pretended…" John broke off.

"I love you, John. I wasn't lying about that. But maybe I wasn't ready for anything more either. I've just been scared."

"Of what? Me?"

"Same things you're afraid of. Betraying Cristian's memory. Loving you and then losing you. Letting you down."

"You could never let me down."

"What are we saying here?" Natalie asked.

"I want to give it a shot. It could be a big mistake, for you."

Natalie's jaw dropped open.

"I see I've made you speechless. But you have to say something." John grinned. "Is this what you want?"

"Yes. I want you. I want us." Tears pricked Natalie's eyes.

"How about we go back to my place and try to get some sleep. I bet I can keep the nightmares at bay."

"Sleep?" Natalie teased.

"Eventually." John stroked her hand with his thumb. "I do have to be in the office early. We both do. We have a killer to catch."

"Check please!" Natalie called out.


	8. Chapter 8 Smut

Four Leaf Clover

A/N: Well, I was going to have John and Natalie sneaking around for a bit longer with everyone knowing but EVenge, but you guys inspired me to speed up the humiliation. And I admit, it's pretty damn mean and nasty what I've done. Hope no one is offended. I've also decided that the imposter person is irrelevant in this AU. There's only so many ways we can address that story anyway. Just let me know when you get tired of this story and i'll stop.

>>>>>Big Smut ahead. A lot of Smut ahead. Smutty Smut.>>>>>>

To the sound of "You and Me" by Lifehouse

>>>>  
Part 8  
>>>>>

The air between them was heavy, different, as they walked into John's apartment. There was a sense of unreality for both of them given both the changes in their relationship and the early morning hour.

"Thanks," Natalie said politely as John took her leather coat and purse and put it on the couch. She smiled softly as John put his hand on her lower back and guided her towards the bedroom.

Once they reached at the foot of the bed, John moved to stand in front of Natalie. He started into her blue eyes and cupped her cheeks. He smiled tenderly and stroked her hair off her cheek.

Natalie's breath caught at the look in his eyes. She had already made love with this man countless times, so why, she wondered, did it feel like the first time?

John put one knee, then the other on the bed until he was kneeling in front of her. He pressed a soft, chaste kiss to her lips. Then another. And another. Each time was a slightly different angle. A taste of her lips. A pull.

Natalie slid her hands between his arms and began to unbutton his shirt. Once it was open to his waist she slid her hands over his chest, savoring the textures. Hard muscles. Soft skin covered in hair.

"Natalie."

"Hmmm?"

"I never said it before."

"Said what?" she traced his lips with the tips of her fingers.

"What you've said. But I do."

"You do what?" Natalie asked absently as she traced the hair on his upper lip and chin.

"I love you."

Her movements stilled and her breath caught, tears rushed to her eyes.

"Hey." John caught a tear on her cheek. "That's not supposed to make you sad."

Natalie shook her head and moved closer to him. "I'm not sad. I'm unbelievably happy."

"Yeah?" he asked, pride and embarrassment tinged his voice.

"Definitely. Now kiss me, John."

"Whatever you say." John laughed and followed direction. Laughter and gasps of pleasure meld as they nipped and sucked at each other's lips and their tongues danced. Still laughing, Natalie fell forward, pushing John onto his back.

"Hey!" He grabbed her and flipped them over. He hovered above her mouth. "I love you." Before she could respond he initiated another tender kiss.

Natalie pushed his shirt over his shoulders and he helped her pull it off. She moved to his belt and undid his pants. She pushed them and his underwear off his hips. He continued kissing her as they wriggled him out of his clothing. He planted his hands on the bed on either side of her head and she reached down and began to slowly stroke his rock hard erection.

He moaned into her mouth over and over again as she moved his soft skin over the hard shaft. Her other hand held onto his hip bone, holding him up so she could continue her ministrations. When drops of precum leaked from his tip she used her thumb to lubricate her movements.

"God, Natalie." He breathed into her neck. "I need you naked."

"Good, because I need to be naked." She pushed him over onto his back and got up on her knees. He slid his hand up her thigh only to be swatted away. She looked down at him, her hair a mussy halo around her head from his fingers. They stared into each others eyes, Natalie teasing, John urging.

Slowly, so very slowly, Natalie slid her shirt up her stomach.

John breathed deeply and wrapped his hand around himself. He spread his legs slightly and looked up at her challengingly. She lifted her eyebrows and let go of her shirt to cup her breasts.

With a half laugh, half groan John began to stroke himself.

Natalie liked her lips and let out a little moan of her own at the sight of him. She moved her hands down her body again and slowly lifted her shirt up and took it off.

He lifted an eyebrow appreciatively at the gold and purple bra she wore. She shrugged teasingly and began to undo her pants. She stood up on the bed and slid them over her hips revealing a pair of matching g-string panties.

John tightened his grip and continued to milk himself. Natalie tossed her pants away and stood over him, a foot planted on either side of his legs. She bit her lip at his wanton movements and slowly lowered herself until she was straddling him.

"Don't stop." She whispered as she lowered her head and began to dot his stomach with soft kisses. When his breathing quickened appreciably she began to lick and nip her way down to his groin. She covered his hand with her own and swept her tongue over his moist tip. Then she pulled his hand away and slid her tongue around him.

His hands gripped at her shoulders, then her hair as she brought him to the brink of orgasm with her lips and tongue. His cries and urgent pleas feeding her need to taste and pleasure.

"Stop, Natalie. You need to stop."

"Why?"

John sat up and pulled her, his hands under her arms, up towards him so he could savage her mouth. As he kissed her he pulled her against him and rolled over until he was on top of her. He tore at her bra and tormented her nipples until she was crying out for his mouth. Happy to oblige, he set himself to the task of pleasuring the engorged breasts.

He kissed his way down her body, his hands pulling the strings off her hips and over her legs. He spread her thighs and tasted her until she was writhing and groaning above him. He drank her in and once she was over the edge he began to push her back up again. As she tightened around his fingers again he spread her wider and slid his aching arousal in her tight heat and they rode each other to completion to words of mutual love.

In the aftermath, they lay side by side, her in his arms, their smiles wide and their eyes closing into a dreamless sleep.

>>>>

"Do you mind if we keep things under wraps for a little while?" John asked as Natalie put her brush in her purse that was sitting on the couch.

"Because of Evangeline?" She asked over her shoulder.

"That and because we work together. We should talk to Bo first. But yeah, I don't want to throw this in her face right away." He put his hand on her arm, then ran it over her back and down to her waist.

"Neither do I. Definitely not before my class is over in a couple of weeks. She doesn't get to grade me, but it could be uncomfortable." And you never know what she might pull, she finished to herself.

"I bet you could handle it." John slid his fingers under her shirt and began to stroke the bare skin on her lower back.

"John." Natalie moaned and leaned back into the simple touch that was turning her legs to jelly.

"Mmmm. I love it when you say my name like that." John whispered the words against her ear. He moved closer, allowing her to lean back against his shoulder as he continued to play with her sensitive spot.

"We're supposed to be going to work."

"Yeah, but I don't want you to forget about me during the day."

"Like I could. We work in the same place."

"Well, when you go to class." John nipped at her ear, his eyes gleaming as he saw her nipples harden inside her black shirt. He reached around and lowered the zipper so that she was practically spilling out of the top. "I want you to unzip it like that when you come into my office."

"Won't I distract you from your work?"

"Good point." John dipped his hand in her shirt to cup her breast inside her lace bra. "I'd better get my fill now."

His hand flitted from her lower back, around her waist and pulled her against him.

Natalie closed her eyes as she felt his pulsing arousal press into her. He slid his hand underneath her skirt and moved her panties aside and rubbed her swollen nub.

"John. John. John." Natalie chanted as he legs went boneless and she fell more deeply against him.

"I love playing you. I love how you respond to my touch." John plunged a knuckle inside her and rubbed her frantically.

"God!"

"Think about me today."

"John!"

"Only me. Doing this to you. Tasting you. Touching you. Loving you."

"John." Natalie bucked over him, seeing stars. Her entire body tingled with orgasm.

"I want you hot for me. Missing me!"

"God, John." Natalie breathed. "I don't think I knew this about you."

"Knew what?"

"How sexually greedy you are." She went into the bathroom to repair her appearance.

"Only with you."

"Yeah?" she asked as she brushed her hair back in order. He took the brush out of her hands and quickly finished the job.

"Yeah." He kissed her forehead and picked up her coat and purse.

"What about you?"

"The tension will help me work."

"All right, if you say so." Natalie walked through the door he held open. Before she was fully out the door she turned and pressed herself against him and kissed him breathless. When he was distracted she opened his pants and slid her hand around his still aching arousal.

"Natalie," John moaned into her mouth, his hips bucking into her hand. "We're. In. The. Hallway."

"Naughty, isn't it?" she growled his mouth and jerked him more tightly.

>>>>IF SMUT OFFENDS STOP HERE>>>>>

"Natalie!" He cried out, his balls tightening up.

As he was about to explode Natalie dipped down and took him into her mouth.

Leaning against the door he exploded in her mouth. His vision blurred and went black as she drank him in. She cleaned him up with her tongue and straightened his clothes. She stood up and pulled his head down. "Make sure you're not distracted today, my hero."

>>>>>>RESTART HERE>>>>>>

"Geez." John panted.

"Come on, we're going to be late and I need coffee." Natalie pulled him by the lapels of his jacket off the door and grabbed the door knob.

"Uh, hi."

Natalie's face flamed and she turned around to see who John was talking to.

>>>>

Oooh, I'm a bad girl…..teehee


	9. Chapter 9

Four Leaf Clover – 9

A/N – more of a confession than a note, I have to admit to being really shocked at what I wrote in the last part! I seriously  
considered revising it…I can't believe how graphic I got. It's so not something Natalie would do in a hallway. It was a total plot point to  
humiliate the ex-girlfriend. Which means I've sunk to the level of ABCD soap writing. Sigh. Anyway, it happened, let's just move on…

>>>>

"Come on, we're going to be late and I need coffee." Natalie pulled him by the lapels of his jacket off the door and grabbed the door knob.

"Uh, hi."

Natalie's face flamed and she turned around to see who John was talking to. Though shocked and mortified she decided to brazen it out  
when she saw it was Evangeline with her eyes bugging out of her head like the crazy runaway bride in Georgia and her mouth open.

"Good morning, Evangeline. Rather early to see you lurking around John's room isn't it?"

"You piece of trash slut!" Evangeline shrieked, spittle flying from her mouth and striking both John and Natalie.

"Voyeur."

"It's a hallway." Evangeline pulled herself together and put on her school-mamish face and uppity tone.

"A private hallway you have no business being in at five thirty in the morning," Natalie calmly pointed out. "If you weren't being so…what  
was that big word again? Oh, ubiquitous you might not be so upset."

"Natalie." Evangeline's attempt to remain calm started to fail so John stepped between the two women. "Give us a few minutes."

"I'll meet you at the station. Sorry." She whispered the last word before walking away. Man, she thought to herself, any other person and  
she would feel compassion for her finding her boyfriend of just a few hours ago in a compromising position with another woman; but  
Evangeline made it impossible with her nasty, condescending, manipulative manner. She only felt bad for John having to pick up the  
pieces.

"Maybe you shouldn't have opened the door if you weren't finished yet," Evangeline said snippily.

"Evangeline," John started.

"No. No, not this time. No, I'm not going to cry over you and Natalie anymore. We break up, and it takes you how long, fifteen minutes? Five? Did you call her from right outside my door?"

John just stared at her blankly.

"I'm not stupid, John. Your little friend there has been throwing herself at you for months! And we all know what else."

John visibly paled at her comment.

"Right now I'm wondering if anything you have ever told me has been the truth."

"What do you think I lied to you about?" John asked.

"Why don't you tell me?"

"I think that you're upset right now and that's my fault, but nothing good can come of this conversation right now. Later. We can talk later."

"I just bet you want to talk later. You'll probably be too busy with work or your whore."

"Don't call her that." John's voice was ice cold.

"Do you love her?"

"I don't think that's any of your business anymore."

"You son of a bitch!"

"Hey, hey! What's going on up here. You two make enough noise going boom boom in bed, do ya got to do it in the hallway too? People are complaining." Roxy, still dressed in her clothes from the night before lurched her way over to the pair.

"Why don't you ask your daughter about that?" Evangeline flounced off.

"Man. What did you do now, Johnny? She find out about you and my Natty doing the dirty behind her back? Aw, come'on Johnny. You think I don't know what goes on in my hotel? You two are even louder than you and the lawyer."

"I gotta get to work, Roxy." John rubbed his eyes, his head was starting to pound.

"Yeah, sure ya do. You gotta find out who tried to deep fry my girl. You'll protect her won't you?"

"Yeah, I will Roxy."


	10. Chapter 10

**Four Leaf Clover – 10**

I'm using ABCD's characters without permission and for no profit. I'll argue to the Supreme Court it's just Fair Use! And that's not legal advice.

**Summary Reminder **– Based on Trinity's challenge of J/N engaging in an affair. Natalie ends it after admitting to herself she wants more from John. After Natalie is almost killed in the AS Diner, John breaks it off with Emasculation and tells Natalie he loves her. Just when they've agreed to keep their new relationship under wraps until John can tell E, she is lurking in the hallway of the A/S hotel and gets an eyeful.

A/N: Bwahahahhahaha!

>>>>>>>>>>>>

"What are you doing here so early? We're not open yet," Rex said from behind the bar at UV where he was taking inventory.

"Then why was the door open?" Evangeline snarled.

"It's six in the morning, we get deliveries. It's not even legal to serve anyone right now."

"I'll defend you for free if we get busted. Get me a drink." Evangeline slammed her purse down on the bar and sat herself on a stool.

"What's got you so riled up? You get into a fight with McBain?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"All right, just never figured you for the early morning drinker." Rex shook her martini. He poured it over a couple of olives and passed it to her. "Dirty, like you like it."

At the comment Evangeline started laughing.

"What's so funny?"

"You think I like it dirty you should see your sister."

"Hey, hey. Don't talk about my sister!"

"Whatever." Evangeline hissed and sucked her drink down. She sucked up an olive and began violently masticating it. "Another." She pushed the glass over to Rex.

"How about you just drink it from the shaker?" Rex mixed up some more, dumped a load of olives and juice in the shaker and passed it over to her. She surprised him when she began to drain the mixer.

"Ya know, I figured you were too ladylike to take me up on that." Rex leaned his elbow on the bar and looked at the lawyer intently.

"Yeah? How ladylike did you think I was?" Evangeline swirled the contents of the shaker and eyed Rex. He squirmed uncomfortably. Evangeline was just not his type - aside from being too controlling and arrogant, there was something about her shoulders that gave him the creeps.

"I get it. There's no one else here."

"What do you mean by that?" she said into the beverage mixer.

"No one else is here so you're not faking that stiff lawyer thing. You and McBain liked to do it public places." When Evangeline choked and slammed the mixer down and looked at him with wide eyes he continued. "Everyone in town knew. You wanted Natty to know, didn't you?"

"Well she got the last laugh didn't she?" Evangeline resumed her haughty manner, although the slight slur to words undermined the effect.

"You heard about that, huh?" Rex winced and eyeing his patron with a knowing eye, pulled the vodka bottle back over and took out another mixer.

"Heard, I saw it."

"Ouch." Rex grabbed a glass and poured her a straight drink instead, and then a shot for himself.

"Wait a minute." Evangeline said after she took a long drank of her vodka. By now she was seeing two of Rex and her words were garbled. "How did you know about it already, it just happened about…um…ya know…just before."

"Oh, well. Um. Just guessing." Rex pretended to be busy with his clipboard.

"Wait a minute, Bals…Ballsham…Balls." Evangeline broke off and laughed naniacally. "What should I hath…you know."

"Nothing. I don't know nothing." Rex tried to pull the bottle out of Evangeline's hands. "Keep it. I gotta go in the storeroom."

Evangeline lunged over the bar and grabbed Rex's hair. "What should I know? Have they been sleeping together all this time?" She screeched.

"All this time? Ouch. Let go."

"Tell me!"

Rex pried her fingers away and grabbed the vodka bottle away.

"How long!"

"A couple of months I think? I'm not sure. No one told me. Couldn't you tell?"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Evangeline tried to get herself off the bar with every intention of going to confront John and the harlot, in her drunken state she forgot she was almost four feet off the ground, missed the bar stool and landed in a heap on the floor. There was a spine tingling crunch when she landed and a ear splitting scream.

"Shit! Now, I'm going to get in real trouble!" Rex hopped over the bar. He grabbed his cell phone out of his pocket and dialed.

>>>>>>>>

"Just how did this happen, Balsam?" RJ asked in exasperation as he and Rex stood outside the office door waiting for RJ's private doctor to finish examining Evangeline.

"I told you. She came in demanding a drink. She had just seen Natty and McBain in some kind of compromising position."

"Did she now?" RJ smiled.

"Then I let it spill it had been going on for a while. I didn't know McBain had dumped her the night before."

RJ began to laugh.

"Do you think she's going to sue?"

"Not unless she wants to tell the whole world, on the record what really happened. Evangeline Williamson is not big on telling the truth. I wish I'd seen her face when you spilled the beans. You know I should be pissed at you, I had planned to tell her myself."

"Why? I thought you liked Natty."

"I do, I do. I would have given her the heads up first, but I wanted to have the pleasure just when the humiliation would be at its best. Then I'd accuse her of stalking McBain all this time."

"Man, you hate her."

"Hate is a strong word, Balsam. I prefer disdain. Oh, I gotta call Lindsey and tell her the story. She's going to die." RJ pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and walked a bit down the hallway.

Rex sighed and paced. All he heard from down the hall was the sound of laughter.

Just when RJ hung up and returned to Rex's side the door opened and the doctor came out.

"How is she?"

"She's bruised, she sprained her wrist. She was too drunk to do much more damage than that. She's passed out on the couch right now."

"What was the crack I heard?"

"Oh that, she fell on her purse and cracked her dildo. She was quite upset about it."

Rex made an "ewwww" face. RJ pulled out his phone again.


	11. Chapter 11

Four Leaf Clover – 11

Obviously, I'm using ABCD's characters without permission and for no profit. No need to write a memo on it.

Summary Reminder – Based on Trinity's challenge of J/N engaging in an affair. Natalie ends it after admitting to herself she wants more from John. After Natalie is almost killed in the AS Diner, John breaks it off with Emasculation and tells Natalie he loves her. Just when they've agreed to keep their new relationship under wraps until John can tell E, she is lurking in the hallway of the A/S hotel and gets an eyeful. Upset, E goes to UV at 6 in the morning and gets drunk. Rex  
mistakenly thinks she knows about the affair and spills it to E and in a drunken Rage E falls off the bar spraining her wrist. RJ has the last laugh.

A/N: At this point, I'm pretty much departing from the show. I'm even changing history. There never was a Cris imposter, because Natalie was right she would know if the man she was sleeping with was not her husband; therefore Cristian did not kill Tico Santi. I'm also taking  
care of some, um, oversights.

>>>>>

"You wanted to talk to me, Bo?" John walked into Bo's office after a brief knock.

"Yeah, have a seat."

"Is this about the Cramer case?"

"No. It's about a personnel matter. Specifically about two of my personnel engaging in a relationship." Bo paused to smile at John's obvious discomfort. "We're crossing a whole bunch of lines here, John. I just want to make sure they're clear."

"I understand. Natalie is your assistant and I'm a superior. There are legal implications, but I'm not her direct supervisor."

"I'm not worried about either of you claiming sexual harassment. I do want to make sure that none of the other admin staff feel she's being favored between being my niece and your girlfriend."

"We'll keep the relationship out of the office. She and I have talked about it."

"I've talked to her as well, but there's more I want to say to you." Bo leaned forward. "It was one thing when you were with Evangeline Williamson, cross that line with Natalie and I'll have IA all over your ass."

John looked like a deer caught in headlights.

"I know Evangeline wanted to make sure everyone knew what you two were up to for her own reasons, mainly to stick it to my niece. I never said anything because it didn't interfere with our jobs. And You and Natalie are an explosive combination and Natalie, well she can do things without thinking. Especially when she thinks she has a good reason for it. I'm relying on you here."

"You want me to try and control Natalie?" John asked, sounding amused.

"No one controls Natalie. I'm just saying you're the Chief of  
Detectives. Act like it."

"I got it. That all?" John stood up and rushed for the door.

"John. One more thing." Bo waited until John was facing him. "If you don't treat her right it's not IA you'll have to worry about."

"It's nice that she has you looking out for her."

"You too." Bo leaned back in his chair, his face relaxed now that that business was over.

>>>>>

Evangeline was supposed to make an appearance at this last class to give them some last minutes tidbits on her portion of the class in preparation for the final. It had been a week since Evangeline had found out about her and John being together and since then no one had heard a word from her. Rex had rushed over to the LPD and snagged her for lunch and told her what had happened at UV so Natalie knew embarrassment was probably one of the reasons for her silence, but Natalie had a feeling it was a lot more ominous than that.

Professor Jaiyne came walking in alone and Natalie let out the breath she had been holding. She picked up her pen and opened her binder. As she was looking down she heard a familiar click of heels. She looked up and her stomach sank. Sure enough, sounding like she was marching  
in an army parade with her $300 shoes was Evangeline Williamson with her right arm in a sling.

"How melodramatic," Natalie murmured to herself.

"Hmmm?" Grady, they guy who sat next to her at the two person table asked.

"Nothing."

"Think she strained herself pulling the stick out of her ass?"

Natalie let out a bark of laughter before she could restrain herself. Evangeline zeroed in on her and glared.

"Man, she hates you."

Natalie resigned herself to a long hour and a half.

>>>>

"What's up, Michael?" John said into his cell phone as he waited for the background report he was promised to finish downloading.

"I'll be right there!" John jumped up and ran out of his office, calling for officers to follow him.

On his screen appeared a photo of Ivan Potter split screen with Hayes Barber.

>>>>>

Natalie walked into the LPD and immediately noticed something was wrong. For one thing, it was fairly empty and those officers that were there was preternaturally quiet. She walked over to Bo's office to discover he was out. John's office told her the same thing, as she headed to the side door a flashing on John's computer screen caught her eye. It was an IM from an investigator asking him if he had received the image. Under the message were the photos of Hayes Barber  
and someone named Ivan Potter.

"One of the Killing Club," Natalie remembered out loud. Worried, she picked up John's phone and called his cell.

"McBain."

"John, what's going on?"

"I can't talk now." Was his terse response.

"You received some photos, Taylor wants to know if you got them. They're Hayes Barber and that Ivan Potter guy."

"Oh my god." She heard him sigh and call over another officer.

"Natalie, print those out, make 50 copies and bring them to me at the Love House."

"My cottage? John, what's going on?" Natalie asked as she hit print.

"Hang on." Natalie could tell from the sounds getting distant that he was moving away from the crowd. "Marcie and her family were killed this morning. Someone tampered with the gas line."

"Oh my, God." Natalie paled and sat down heavily in John's seat. "Marcie, Ron?"

"Yeah."

"Where's Michael?"

"He's the one who found them. He's at the hospital. Get me those photos."

"You think it was Hayes? Copying the book?"

"Yeah. I should have found him sooner. Michael." John broke off.

"It's not your fault, John. You did the best you could!" Natalie said firmly. "Hayes is the murderer!"

She could hear John expel a breath as some of what she said got through.

"I'll be right there with the photos."

"Thanks."


	12. Chapter 12

**Four Leaf Clover – 12  
**  
Summary Reminder – Based on Trinity's challenge of J/N engaging in an affair behind the Evil One's back. After Natalie is almost killed in the AS Diner, John breaks it off with Emasculation and tells Natalie he loves her. EVenge found out about their new relationship and their past affair and she is pissed. Marcie and her family are successfully murdered by Hayes, who John already knows is Ivan Potter.

>>>>>

"John, you should go be with your brother right now."

"There's nothing I can do for him there. I need to get the son of a bitch who did this."

"All right, I'll reassign the Cramer and Santi cases."

John just nodded in agreement, which surprised and worried Natalie who had come up behind them with the stack of flyers. She could feel the tension and guilt coming off him in waves. She wanted to put her arm around him and offer comfort, but they were in the middle of a crime  
scene surrounded by their fellow officers.

"Here are the flyers."

Bo nodded at her before walking away.

"Thanks." John waved over an officer. "Get this handed out. This is who we're looking for."

"I also sent them down to dispatch electronically," Natalie told him.

"Damn. I can't believe I forgot that." John sighed and rubbed his forehead where a headache was pulsing.

"I know standard procedure. You knew you didn't have to ask." Natalie was worried. John had hardly slept since the incident at the Diner, now he was not going to rest until Hayes was in jail.

"I can't assume anything," John said firmly. "Don't look at me like that."

"All right." Natalie frowned and looked away. She could smell the remnants of the gas and perhaps through imagination feel death in what had once been a happy home. For her and Cristian. She shivered and wrapped her arms around herself.

"I'm sorry. I don't mean to take this out on you."

"I know. Is there anything you need?"

"I lead on Hayes."

"Maybe Rex can help?"

"Rex?"

"He knows a lot of people who wouldn't talk to you. He knows Hayes. He'll want to help Jen."

"Can't hurt."

"I'll go see him on the way back to the station. You should get some fresh air."

"I'll walk you to your car." He put his hand on her back and led her outside.

"Listen," he said as she opened her car door. "I'll be at the station until this is done. It's not because I don't…"

Natalie put her hand over John's mouth. "It's your job, I get that. I'll look in on Michael for you. I'll call Eve if he hasn't. Just take care of yourself, John. I love you."

John took her hand and kissed her palm softly.

She smiled softly at him. "Call me if you need anything. Food. Comfort. Someone to pitch ideas at."

"Thanks." John's voice was gruff. He pressed a kiss to her forehead.

>>>>>

"I need to find Jen."

"Jen is with her boyfriend, Riley. Remember him? She'll appreciate it if you help find her best friend's killer."

"Yeah." Rex nodded, his face full of the hopes that her gratitude might be a little more.

"Rex, she's grieving. Stop scheming."

"You hate her, why are you protecting her." Rex's eyes narrowed.

"Yeah I hate her and I think you're too good for her, but she's going through a tough time now and she doesn't need you messing up what she got with Riley. She can do that just fine on her own."

"Things aren't going well with Riley. Not since she started drinking again."

"Rex! Have you been, you know, with Jen?"

"Who are you talk, sister? You and John." Rex made some obscene gestures with his hands.

Natalie put her hand over his and pushed him further into the corner of UV. "Stop it. Are you going to help John? Help Jen?"

"Yeah. I'll go ask around."

"Thanks."

"You okay?" Rex put his hand on his sister's shoulder stopping her as she walked past him towards the back door.

"Yeah? Why?"

"It was, is your house. Where you lived with Cristian."

"Doesn't matter. It's John I'm worried about right now. And Michael. I gotta get back to the station. You be careful."

"Always."

Natalie pressed a kiss to his cheek and walked out.

>>>>

"Where's Natalie?" Bo asked one of the officers hovering near her desk. The officer shrugged.

Annoyed with the phones ringing off the hook and the manpower shortage, Bo went into his office and called Natalie's cell phone. It rang and then went to voice mail. He left a message and called John.

"Is Natalie still there with you? She did? I'll try Balsom."

"She left when? And you sure she was coming here?" Bo looked at his watch. Where was she? A minute later his cell phone rang.

"Her car is still there and you found her phone on the ground? Dammit. Don't do anything stupid Balsom." Bo disconnected and called someone else.

"John, I think Hayes has Natalie."

>>>>

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Evangeline?" Natalie was too surprised to be particularly scared of the lawyer, even though she was holding a gun.


	13. Chapter 13

**Four Leaf Clover – 13**

**Summary Reminder **– Based on Trinity's challenge of J/N engaging in an affair behind the Evil One's back. EVenge found out about Jolie's new and old relationship and she is pissed. Marcie and her family are successfully murdered by Hayes. Rex is going to look into leads to find Hayes. Natalie was kidnapped outside UV. Bo thinks it's by Hayes, but it's actually by St. Emasculation…who is not who she seems.

>>>>>

"You bitch!" Evangeline shrieked at Natalie as the limo sped on the highway away from Llanview. "Shut the hell up!"

"I can see why you'd be pissed about John and I, but pulling a gun?"

Evangeline lunged forward and put her good hand around Natalie's neck and pressed the gun to her temple. "You don't know who you're messing with, bitch."

Natalie's eyes widened at the rage in the other woman's eyes and at the feel of the air being pressed out of her windpipe and Evangeline's nails digging into her neck. Evangeline kept pressing until Natalie began to gasp then she released her hold and then clawed her nails down Natalie's neck to her arm.

Natalie coughed and gasped for breath.

"Miss Atlantic City Heiress thinks she's better than me by sleeping with John behind my back. I thought you were just a desperate little girl when in reality you're a whore."

"What John and I did behind your back was wrong. I know that."

"I'm glad you know that." Evangeline mocked and tightened her grip on Natalie's arm. The gun was still pointed at her temple. "You messed with the wrong woman, Missy. No one dumps Cookie and no one dupes Cookie and gets away with it. Not you, not John, not Paul Cramer and not even my former husband Tico Santi!"

"What?" Natalie cried out, the shock temporarily blocking out the pain of Evangeline's claw.

"Why do you think I slept with that dumb cop? He's good looking; he's pretty good in bed." Evangeline shrugged. "But really, he's so far beneath me it's not funny. That's why I told my family he was still in the FBI."

"You were married to Tico?" Natalie lifted her hand and tried to pry Evangeline's hand off her body. Evangeline calmly let go.

"I like powerful men. Mitch Laurence, your dear husband and uncle was great. But he was nothing like Tico. Tico was world class. Too bad he had to get involved with your sister."

"What do you mean about Paul?"

"Pfft. Cramer was an idiot. He tried to double-cross Tico so I took care of him."

It suddenly occurred to Natalie that if Evangeline was telling her all this stuff, she probably did not plan for her to come out of this alive. And she might have dangerous plans for John who didn't know to look out for her. She had to stop her from hurting John.

"Did you kill him yourself?" Natalie tried to look around for something she could use as a weapon. Champagne bottle. Glasses. That could work if she could disarm her.

"With the same gun I'm going to kill you and John with." She banged the weapon on Natalie's temple causing no small amount of pain.

"You kill Tico, too?" Natalie figured she might as well solve all of the outstanding cases while she was at it and as she slowly turned her body.

Evangeline's eyes narrowed and she began to move away.

Taking the opening, Natalie rammed her body full force against Evangeline's injured wrist and tackled her to the floor of the limo. She grabbed the gun and kneed Evangeline a little extra to make sure she was down.

Evangeline rolled on the floor clasping her wrist and crying out in pain.

Natalie moved backwards and hit the partition. It slid open. "Yes ma'am," the driver said.

"Take me to the Lanview Police Department."

The partition slid closed.

>>>>>>>>

John and Bo were holed up in his office trying to figure out where Hayes would take Natalie to recreate the scene in the Killing Club book that had been marked and left beside Natalie's car at UV.

"What are you doing here, Michael?" John asked as his brother, looking haggard, walked in.

"Nowhere else to be. I heard about Natalie being taken."

John walked over to his brother and the two men embraced. As John opened his mouth to say something there was a knock at the door. Distracted now, John walked over and opened the door.

"We have the fingerprint results back from the book." The cop handed over the file.

John opened and cursed loudly when he saw the results.

"What is it John?" Bo asked.

"The book has Evangeline Williamson's fingerprints. Or as this FBI report says, Evangeline Santi." John looked up at Bo. "She was married to Tico Santi in Puerto Rico eight years ago, right after she graduated law school."

>>>>>>>>

Natalie held the gun trained on Evangeline and banged on the partition again.

"Yes, Ma'am?" The driver said as he opened the partition again.

"Why are not turning around and heading back to Llanview."

"I don't take instructions from you, Ma'am."

"How about if I tell you I have a loaded gun?" Natalie cocked the gun. "And that I'm a Lord-Buchanan and my family would be very grateful for my safe return."

The partition slid closed again.

>>>>>>>>

"Oh man, I'm sorry." Michael shook his head.

"For what?" John asked absently as he listened to Bo give orders to find Evangeline Williamson Santi.

"I'm sorry I pushed her on you over Natalie. And for what I said about the affair you were having with."

"You never said anything to me." John turned his attention on Michael.

"To Natalie. I kinda told her off for duping Evangeline. I didn't know she was a Santi, man."

"Me either. Why didn't any of that turn up in our background checks on Santi? Why didn't Sonia tell us that?" John asked Bo.

"I plan to find that out. I have the file in the office and someone is going to hear about this."

"Do you think she killed Tico Santi?"

"Could be. I need to question Jessica Buchanan again." John sat down on his desk. "I need find Natalie."

"You will, man."

"Thanks for being here and I'm so sorry I couldn't save Marcie."

Michael sat down on the couch, his leg paining more than it had in a long time.

"Me, too. If I hadn't..." Michael broke off. "I could have been there with her."

"And probably be dead, too."

Michael shrugged and looked at his hands, his doctor's hands, hands that had been unable to bring the life back to the woman he loved.

"It's not your fault. Listen, Mikey, I'll make a deal." John waited for Michael to look up at him. "If you don't blame yourself I won't blame myself."

"We're a pair, aren't we?" Michael's laugh was hollow.

"We're brothers." John walked over and put his hand on his brother's shoulder.

"We caught a break. Someone walking their dog saw a limousine speeding away from UV at about the time Natalie was taken." Bo stuck his head in the door.

"Let's check out the rental companies." John walked over to his desk.

"Already have people on it. We'll find her."

"I won't lose her. I can't." John looked at his brother and Bo, his face deadly serious. "I'll kill anyone who takes her from me."


	14. Chapter 14

**Four Leaf Clover – Part 14**

**Summary Reminder **– Started from Trinity's challenge of J/N engaging in an affair behind the Evil One's back. EVenge kidnapped Natalie at gunpoint and confessed to killing Paul Cramer and Tico Santi – her husband. Marcie, thankfully, is dead thanks to Hayes Barber and LPD already know he's the killer because they actually did real police work – ie, research – and traced him forward from Ivan Potter. Natalie overpowered St. Vanity and is tried to bribe the limo driver to take her to the LPD.

A/N – So I went back and read my own story and realized there is a reference to faux-Cristian in part 2 – I've amended that on FF so just ignore it.

>>>>>>>>

John and Bo ran outside the station. They had been waiting for a call back from Highway Patrol when an officer burst into John's office and told them they were needed outside. They pushed through the crowd of officers to find a limo with Natalie alighting out of it gun in hand.

"The psycho who kidnapped me is in there." She handed the gun to a startled and relieved Bo. John grabbed her by the face and kissed her, then moved past her to go get Evangeline himself.

"John." Bo grabbed his arm. "Go arrest the woman in that limo," he ordered a couple of uniform officers. "Put her in the pen until we work up the charges."

"I have a few you can add," Natalie said.

"Like what?" The two men turned and looked at her.

"She killed Paul Cramer, Tico Santi and Katherine Fitzgerald."

"She confessed?" Bo asked, looking more than impressed at how Natalie had obviously handled herself.

Natalie nodded.

"Are you all right?" John reached out and touched the bruise forming on her temple. He sighed when she flinched and pulled her into his arms, not caring who saw them.

"Whore!" Evangeline screamed out when she was led past them.

Natalie stiffened and John tightened his hold. "Do you know what it did to me when I heard you were taken? We thought it was Barber at first." John let out an audible breath as he savored the feel of her.

"I'm sorry."

"Hey, it's not your fault." John put his hands on the side of her face.

"Why don't you take my statement now?"

"You should have someone look at your head. Michael's inside."

"How's he doing? I was planning to go see him today when I got a bit sidetracked."

"We'll get him through it. We both have been there."

"Yeah. We have." Natalie took John's hand and walked into the station with him.

>>>>>>>>

"Let me go answer the phones," Natalie pleaded. 

"You should lie down," Bo ordered. "Adele can handle the press."

"I don't want to lie down."

"You have a mild concussion, Michael said so," John put in.

"I'm not ten years old and I don't need anyone telling me what I feel up to doing. Answering the phones is my job."

"Fine. Fine. Go Answer the phone!" John turned and went back to his desk and pretended to be engrossed in a file.

Natalie looked at Bo who shook his head and walked out.

"What's your problem?" Natalie put her hands on hips and stood on the other side of the desk from him.

"You just were kidnapped in case you forgot."

"No, I didn't forget. I also managed to close three cases and get back here in one piece. So why are you so pissy about it?"

"Because I should have solved those crimes dammit instead of sleeping with the perp!" John exploded. Files went flying off his desk.

Natalie waited.

"How the hell did I not know I was sleeping with a killer? What kind of cop does that make me? Jesus!" John slammed the wall by the window and looked out, trying to get himself under control.

She knelt down and began to pick up the files.

"Don't pick up my mess!"

"Fine." Natalie stood up and kicked one of the files she had neatened for good measure. The act elicited an involuntary laugh from John who quickly scowled and put his hands on his hips and stared at the top of his desk.

"I should have known. I should have checked her out. I always do that."

"She's a hot shot lawyer who was named woman of the year. You had no reason to expect to find anything. Heck, you met her family."

"That should have warned me," John mumbled.

This time Natalie laughed.

"No, really, there's something not quite right about the family. I think the sister is a hooker."

"You probably should not be telling me that." Natalie moved closer to the desk.

"How come I didn't know?"

Natalie sat down on the desk and thought about it. "I think it's partly what I said already, she's a lawyer with ties to practically everyone in town on a professional level. And I don't think you ever really looked closely at her to begin with."

"What do you mean?" John sat down on the opposite of the desk and leaned in.

"Well, you started sleeping with her after I got involved with Paul. It kinda seemed like the two were related."

"That I did it to show you I didn't care?" John asked.

"That and maybe to show yourself that you could after what didn't happen between us before."

"And you stayed with Paul to show me back."

"We're talking about you." Natalie poked him in the arm. "Your eyes were always on me, John." When he nodded in acknowledgement she continued. "I think you thought what you thought was her perfect upbringing was just going to rub off on you. That suddenly all that you had to overcome would just wash away and it would be a heck of a lot more peaceful than being with me. Someone who, like you, had to fight through crap to get to where we are. You didn't want someone who understood you. Am I making any sense?"

John looked thoughtful for a moment. "I think it does. You know she did stuff I didn't like, listened in on confidential conversations and then ran to her client to give them information. I let myself think it was a fluke even though I knew she was very calculating. God, I had no idea how calculating."

"Kinda makes our having an affair not so bad now, huh?"

"You are unbelievably audacious." John looked at her in amazement.

"Love that about me, don't you?" Natalie leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his cheek and hopped off the desk. "I gotta go handle the press and you have quite a mess in here to clean up."

>>>>>>>>

"We picked up Hayes." Bo's voice was laced with satisfaction.

"Good. I can't wait to question the bastard." John walked over the coffeepot in Bo's office and poured himself a refill. It had been nine hours since Natalie had come back and they all had been living on caffeine.

"You're not questioning him, John. This is too personal to you."

John started to argue, but Bo abruptly cut him off.

"It's too close and we're not going to do anything that could get him off on a technicality. Got it? And you need to get Natalie out of here. She won't leave without you. I've tried."

Both men looked through the blinds out to where Natalie was sitting at her desk. The bruise on her temple had darkened and stood out in stark contrast with the pallor on her face.

"And you've been working non-stop for days, you need some sleep."

"You too, boss."

"I'll get it after Hayes is locked up."

"I'll take care of her."

"I know, John."

>>>>>>>>

"What's in this? Rocks?" John asked as he took Natalie's school bag and they walked out of the police station.

"My car is still at UV," she remembered suddenly.

"I had someone drop it off at the Hotel this afternoon." He put his free arm around her shoulder.

"Thanks. I can't believe I forgot."

"You've been busy. You did a great job fending off the vultures." John chuckled. "I loved when you chased them out of the station."

"They got a picture of me." She sighed and leaned against him. "The headlines aren't going to be pretty."

"But you will be."

"John McBain!" Natalie looked at him.

"What?" He wondered what he had done wrong.

"You are so sweet and romantic!" Natalie stood on her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to his cheek. She could swear she could see him blushing in the dark street.

"Let's go home." John put his arm back around her shoulders and walked her to the Angel Square Hotel.


	15. Chapter 15 Smut

**Four Leaf Clover – 15 **

**Summary: **Started from Trinity's challenge of J/N engaging in an affair behind the Evil One's back. EVenge kidnapped Natalie at gunpoint and confessed to killing Paul Cramer and Tico Santi – her husband! Hayes was arrested as the Killing Club Killer because they actually did real police work – ie, research – and traced him forward from Ivan Potter. Natalie overpowered the psycho lawyer and got them to the LPD. She was diagnosed with a mild concussion from being hit by Evangeline's gun, but refused to go home. John is dealing with the fact that he slept with a murderess.

>>>>>

"When do finals start?" John asked as he dropped Natalie's book bag on the desk.

"We have reading week next week, after that." Natalie dropped down on the couch and put her feet on the coffee table.

"So you need to study?"

"A bit, I only have three classes. I think I got a good handle on them."

"Maybe we could go away for a few days?" He sat down on the couch and dropped his head in her lap.

"Yeah? A mini-break means true love."

"Huh?"

"Movie reference, never mind. Where do you want to go?" Natalie stroked his hair.

"AC? New York? Nashville? Memphis?"

"Elvis? You want to go to Graceland!" Natalie laughed.

"Yeah so?" John asked defensively.

"I think Memphis is a great idea. Drive or fly?"

"Normally I'd say drive, but since you have to study let's fly."

"We could wait until finals are over."

"Then we'll never be able to get away."

"Maybe we shouldn't leave Michael right now."

"You're right. Elvis will have to wait." John sighed and closed his eyes.

"It was a lovely dream, while it lasted. We should check in on Michael. Find out when the memorial service is."

"He's at the hospital. I spoke to him before we left the station. How about I shower and then we go to sleep." John opened his eyes and put his hand on her face.

"Sure."

>>>>>>

John walked out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his waist to see Natalie fast asleep in the bed. He sat down on the bed and brushed the hair off her face to look at the dark bruise on her temple. "Tough girl," he murmured and traced his finger down the side of her face to her lips. He pressed a kiss to her hair and then got up to toss the towel onto the bathroom floor and then climbed under the covers and gathered her close to him.

>>>>>>>

"I have nothing here to wear."

"Go naked."

"John!" Natalie spun on him and managed to look threatening even though she was just wearing a towel.

"Borrow something from Roxy." John didn't bother to hold back his laughter as Natalie came at him. He grabbed her around the waist and tossed her on the bed. "Better yet, stay there naked all day at your desk."

"Wouldn't you love that?"

"Hmmm, yeah, I would." John's voice coming from the depths of her neck was muffled.

"John."

"Can't you see I'm busy seducing you?"

"I kinda figured that." Natalie laughed and pulled his face out of her neck. His blue eyes were twinkling at her so she pressed a kiss to his lips.

"What?" he growled.

"I was just thinking about Michael."

"Now?" John asked incredulously.

"About how lucky we are to have found each other. I feel really lucky, John."

"Me too." John stroked her cheek with his thumb. They stared into each others eyes before John dipped his head down and they melted into sweet kisses.

Natalie slid her hands down his bare back to the waist band of his pants. Then she slid her fingers back up and down his side, eliciting the moans and shivers she planned on. Then she tilted her body to the side and reached between them to undo his pants. He gladly titled his hips back as he continued to kiss his way down her neck to her wet towel. He pushed it aside with his chin and slicked his tongue over one nipple.

"Damn." Natalie arched into him, losing her grip temporarily on this waist band. She bent her leg and used her foot to continue pushing his pants down his legs. When his pants and underwear reached his ankles they battled with their feet to push the offending clothing off the bed.

John groaned as their naked bodies pressed against each other. He continued to suckle the water from her body and pressed his fingers at her center.

"What you do to me, John." Natalie wrapped a leg around his hip and dug her nails into his upper back.

"This?" John pushed himself inside her. Again and again. And again. Natalie met him stroke for stroke, their lips and tongues mimicking the rhythm down below. Natalie felt John tighten inside her and the trembling of his body that came right before he erupted. The awareness sent her splintering around him and she felt every pulse of his seed inside her, which prolonged her own spasms. Both of them had their hands fisted in the others hair as they kissed and kissed as their bodies' pleasure subsided and the inexorable connection between them was almost a live thing humming through them.

John rested his hand on her hip, her knee was still bent at his side and they remained joined as they regained their bearings and their breath. He stroked his hand up her side, marveling that this softness could carry such a load.

"Fuck Graceland. Let's just get a seedy motel room and spend a week indoors," John panted against her shoulder.

"We have a seedy motel room."

"Not in Llanview."

"Do you think it'll always be like this?"

"Every time." He kissed her shoulder and nipped at her ear. "About the clothes thing, how about we get a place together?"

"We could…" Natalie trailed off. "Did you just ask me to move in with you?"

"Yeah." John propped himself on his hand and looked down at her.

"Oh."

"Oh?"

"Well, you're sure?"

"Oh, hell yeah I'm sure." John leaned down and gave her a kiss that showed her he had no doubts. He hardened inside and began to move again. "Are you gonna say yes?"

"Yes. Oh yes." Natalie arched into him and met his thrusts.

Sounds of groans, moans and panting filled the room for the next fifteen minutes as they found their bliss in each other, again. And again.


	16. Chapter 16

**Four Leaf Clover - 16 **

**Summary: **Started from Trinity's challenge of J/N engaging in an affair behind the Evil One's back. EVenge kidnapped Natalie at gunpoint and confessed to killing Paul Cramer and Tico Santi – her husband! Hayes was arrested as the Killing Club Killer because they actually did real police work – ie, research – and traced him forward from Ivan Potter. Natalie overpowered the psycho lawyer and got them to the LPD. She was diagnosed with a mild concussion from being hit by Evangeline's gun, but refused to go home. John is dealing with the fact that he slept with a murderess. John asked Natalie to move in with him.

A/N: "See Grandpa, dreams really do come true."

>>>>>

"I'll be done in a few hours, why don't we do lunch?" John said as they stood outside Llanfair.

"Okay. Are you really going to take off those days Uncle Bo is demanding?"

"Yeah. I want to be there for Michael and my mother should be here tonight."

Natalie put her arms around John's neck and pulled him into a hug. His arms slid automatically around her and he buried his face in her hair.

"Maybe we can get in some alone time while we're both off this week? Look for a place to live?"

Natalie smiled brightly, clearly thrilled at the suggestion.

"You're easy."

"What?" Natalie was shocked.

"I like being able to make you smile." John kissed her.

"Tell Uncle Bo thanks for the extra day off."

>>>>>

Natalie parked her car and walked up the walk. It was eerie seeing the place blocked off with police tape, to know that three people had just died there. People she knew. Her hand shook slightly as she took the key out of her pocket. She had even dated Ron over the holidays. He was a nice guy, he just wasn't John.

She pulled the tape aside and opened the front door and walked in. Dave in CSU had said that they were done with the house and she could go in, but it didn't necessarily feel right to do so. She couldn't help seeing the fingerprint dust, chalk and other investigative detritus littering what had been a place of such happiness. For herself and Cristian and the Love Crew.

Suppressing a shiver wholly unrelated to the temperature, Natalie closed the door behind her and walked over the fireplace. She closed her eyes as she remembered the nights she and Cristian had spent making love and talking in this very spot. She turned and looked at the door and remembered all the times John had dropped her off on the way back from a pool match or after, when his mother had lived here, just came by to visit.

She looked at the couch, remembering sleeping on it with John hovering protectively in the foyer. She looked up and remembered where they had found the cameras that Haver had installed throughout the house to watch them.

She went into the kitchen and sat down at the table. She always told Cristian is was kind of a waste for them to have a kitchen. Neither of them particularly liked to cook and were often dining on Carlotta's generous presents or the dishes Vicki had the Llanfair chef prepare for them. Or burgers from Crossroads. Cristian hadn't liked macaroni and cheese and would always make gagging sounds when she would prepare it, sometimes with Rex as they reminisced about their childhood.

"Funny," Natalie said to herself as she recognized the irony of reminiscing about times that had been so hard and painful. But that was exactly what she was doing there that day. She walked back through the living room and up the stairs. Slowly, uncertain of what she would find there. Two of the bedrooms were blocked off with tape, including the master bedroom that had once been hers and before that hers and Cristian's. She pulled the tape off and walked into the chilly room – all of the windows had been thrown open to empty it of the killing gas.

Tears burned her eyes as she saw the bed she had once shared and then had learned to sleep alone in. The bed where Marcie had died. Her knees buckled as the finality of death rocked through her. She didn't bother to stop the sobs that heaved through her as she remembered good times and bad spent in these walls and the people who had once been here but would not be here any longer. She cried for Cristian, for Al, for Marcie, for Ron and for all the dreams of life that now would never be. She gave herself up to the goodbyes she had come here to say.

"Hey." She never heard John come in, but eagerly allowed him to pull her onto his lap. She took comfort in the rocking motion and the caresses he made over he hair and back.

He held her until her sobs subsided and then continued to hold her.

"How did you find me?"

"One of the guys on patrol saw your car outside and called me."

"I can't even get into trouble in this town anymore," Natalie said between sniffles.

"I'm sure you'll manage," John said dryly.

Natalie sighed and lifted her head to look at him. "I was just saying goodbye." She rang her fingertips over his face.

"I know."

"That place we're going to look for, how about we buy something?"

"Buy? A house?" he croaked out.

"Or a condo. Something that's ours. I'm going to sell this place. I could put the money into a new place, our place."

"I could probably swing that. You ready to get out of here?"

Natalie leaned her head on his shoulder and squeezed him tighter.

"What?"

"There are some boxes in the attic I wanted to get. Everything else we can have the broker deal with."

"Come on, I'll help you and then we'll go have lunch."

"Have I told you lately how lucky I am to have you?"

"You might have mentioned it, but it really can't be said enough."

>>>>>

"I guess it works out that I'll spend the night with Jessica and you spend it with Michael and your mom."

"You know you're welcome to join us. Eve, Shannon and Michael would love to have you there."

"I know, it's not that I don't feel welcome. I just think it's a McBain night and I miss Jess."

"Just so you know I want you there."

"I know."

Natalie and John stood, once again, at the front door of Llanfair. This time it was dusk and they were going their separate ways for the evening.

"We won't have to do this once we have our own place," Natalie said.

"Yeah, you'll never be able to get rid of me."

Natalie laughed and he swooped her into a heated kiss. Neither knew that the door had opened until they heard Jessica clearing her throat.

John looked up and glared at Jessica. Natalie pinched his arm to remind him to be nice to her sister and turned to say hello to Jessica. John made his polite, if hasty, greetings and then left.

"He's never liked me," Jessica said as she followed Natalie into the living room.

"Don't be silly." Natalie dropped her purse on the desk and walked over to the couch.

"Ever since Haver, then I got involved with Tico. He thinks I'm an idiot and I don't blame him."

"Jess, you're being too hard on yourself. We all make mistakes. Mitch Laurence and Paul Cramer. Now we're even. He doesn't think I'm an idiot."

"Do you want a glass of wine?"

"Changing the subject? Sure." Natalie sat down and contemplated putting her feet up on the coffee table. She was definitely more at home at John's than this pristine palace, even though it was home.

"What's up? You have a maudlin look on your face." Jessica handed Natalie her glass of wine and sat down on the couch next to her.

"John asked me to move in with him."

"Oh my God! I'm so happy for you!" Jessica hugged her sister. "At the Hotel?"

"Don't make that face, but no. We're going to buy a place together."

"That's good." Jessica sighed in relief and took a sip of her wine.

"What about you and Antonio?"

Jessica shrugged and looked into her glass.

"You can tell me anything."

"I'm done with all things Vega and Santi. It's never going to go back to how it was before Antonio found out he was a Santi and abandoned me and his daughter. To tell you the truth I don't want it to."

"I thought you love him?"

"I do, in a way. But he's very controlling, Natalie. He was always trying to get me to do what he wanted, he never listened to what I wanted. About my career, about getting married, about having kids and finally about this whole Santi thing. He never respected me."

Natalie opened her mouth, but then closed it.

"What were you going to say."

"I was going to say what I always say, that he loves you. But yeah, I always noticed he didn't quite treat you as an equal. I thought you were okay with it."

"Maybe I was then, but I'm not now. I need to take care of myself, I need…"

"What?" Natalie curled up and took another sip of wine.

"I haven't told Mom yet, so don't say anything. I'm going to go to grad school in California."

" California? Why so far?"

"I need a change. I need to get far away from Antonio and Tico and all the dumb things I've done. I want to start fresh. I'll finish my journalism degree, get some more experience and then I can come back and work at the Sun or the Banner."

"Mom is going to be upset."

"She'll have you."

"It's not the same."

"If you still feel that way then maybe it's a good thing I'll be gone for a while."

"Don't leave on my account, Jess." Natalie grasped her sister's hand.

"I'm not. I'm leaving on mine."

"I'll miss you."

"Me too. You'll have to come visit! We can tour the wineries in Napa. I've always wanted to do that."

"Okay." Natalie shrugged. She liked drinking wine, but never particularly cared about where it came from.

>>>>>>

The ringing phone woke the Buchanan sisters from the sugar-induced comas imitating sleep.

"Who the hell is calling at 3am?" Jess groaned and passed the phone to Natalie.

"Hello?" Natalie's voice was rough with sleep. "Whoa? She what? Wow!" Natalie shot up to a sitting position. "Yeah. I love you too. See you later."

"Johnny call to tell you he loves you at 3 in the morning? Isn't that a bit extreme?" Jess asked, rolling over.

"He called to tell me that Evangeline Williamson killed herself in jail about an hour ago."

"Hmmmm," Jessica murmured and fell back asleep.


	17. Chapter 17

**Four Leaf Clover – Part 17 **

**Summary: **Started from Trinity's challenge of J/N engaging in an affair behind the Evangeline's back. Enraged, she kidnapped Natalie and confessed to murdering Paul Cramer, Tico Santi – her husband – and Katherine Fitzgerald. She killed herself in jail. Jessica is sick of being an idiot and Antonio's controlling ways and is going to California for her graduate journalism degree. John and Natalie are going to buy a place together. Hayes killed the Screech family before he was caught by the LPD.

>>>>>

Natalie walked into the church with Jessica and her mother for the memorial service for the Walsh family. The funerals themselves were being held in Atlantic City, but the Llanview community wanted to remember them where Marcie and Ron had lived, and died.

"There's John." Jessica directed her sister's attention to the far corner of the church where John stood with Eve and his brother. "Are you going to go over there?" she asked when Natalie didn't move.

"In a minute."

"What's wrong?" Jessica asked as their mother melted into the crowd.

"John sounded weird on the phone just before." Natalie frowned and shook her head.

"What's wrong?"

"I guess he's thinking about Caitlin, but it's something else too."

"Like what?"

Before Natalie could answer John looked over and caught her eye. He didn't smile, given the circumstances, but he was obviously pleased to see her. "Come with me." Natalie grabbed her sister's hand and pulled her along.

Eve embraced Natalie in a warm hug, while Jessica spoke with John and Michael. "You all right, dear?" Eve asked as Natalie pulled back. Not taking the younger woman at her word, Eve excused them and walked them to an area with more privacy and again asked what was wrong.

Natalie turned and watched John interacting with his brother and Jessica and then turned back to Eve. "I know this day is really about Michael, but it's John I'm worried about."

"He never went to Caitlin's memorial and he's worried that he doesn't quite know how to support Michael right now." Eve understood and was touched by Natalie's insight into her son.

"Because he was still in the hospital," Natalie murmured, wondering what it had been like for him to be at Cristian's memorial back then. Then, coming so close on the heels of that was Haver. "There's more. Evangeline Williamson killed herself this morning."

Eve's lips pursed, John hadn't told her that.

"Whatever she was, John still cared about her."

"You love my son a great deal don't you?"

"I think I always have."

"Then he'll be just fine with you beside him." Eve squeezed Natalie's hands.

"Thanks, Eve." Natalie felt a rush of emotion at Eve's obvious approval, so different than her still stormy relationship with Carlotta Vega.

Eve put her arm around Natalie's shoulder and led her back to group. Natalie put her hand on Michael's arm and offered him words of comfort the best she could. Then Andrew was stepping to the front of the church and asking everyone to take their seats.

Natalie took John's hand and followed the McBain clan to their seats in the front row. Natalie looked around and was surprised to see Shannon McBain sitting with Rex, Jen and Riley. She gave a mental shrug and settled in close to John.

>>>>>

"That was a nice service," Natalie commented.

"Thankfully no one sang," John shuddered and put his hand over his eyes.

"You don't look so good," Natalie pulled John's hand off his face.

John raised an eyebrow and smirked at her comment.

"Seriously. You're pale and sweaty."

They were standing outside the church waiting for Eve and Michael to disengage from the crowd and drive over with them to Llanfair, which Vicki had opened up for the post-memorial gathering.

"Just didn't sleep much last night because of what happened at the jail." He shrugged off her concern.

Natalie slid her hands under John's suit coat and settled them on his waist, gently stroking him.

"You have something on your mind," he commented, the color coming back into his face as he settled under her ministrations.

"It's okay if you're upset about Evangeline and Caitlin. I got my stuff in yesterday. Your turn." Her blue eyes were clear and calm as he looked down at her.

John shook his head and smiled softly as he slid his fingers through her hair and cupped the back of her head. The stood silently together until Eve and Michael came out.

>>>>>>>

"I have a perfectly good hotel room," John grumbled as Natalie led him up the stairs at Llanfair.

"And your entire family is staying here tonight before they head down to Atlantic City. You'll get to have breakfast with them. Won't that be nice?" Natalie couldn't stop the chuckle that bubbled up at the disgruntled look on John's face.

"I can't sleep with you when both of our mothers are under this roof." John stood looking at her bed. "And on all those flowers!"

"Really, you can't? Well, then I guess you'll get a good night's sleep."

"I never get the last word." John flopped down on the bed and rolled over and eyed her. "Nice dress."

"Yeah? How about helping me out of it?" She presented her back to him.

John scooted to the end of the bed and grabbed the zipper of the slim black dress and slowly slid it down her back. "There you go," he said when he was done. Then he bust out laughing when he saw her affronted face in the mirror. He put his palms on her bare back and pushed the garment off her shoulders. His fingers slid around to cup her breasts and he pressed tiny kisses up her spine, under her hair and onto her neck.

"Better" He asked when he reached her ear.

In answer Natalie let the dress drop to the floor and kicked it aside and turned around and straddled him on the bed. Soft moans filled the room as they slowly kissed. John undid the hooks of her bra and she helped him pull it off and toss it aside. They stayed as they were, him caressing her bare skin, her still astride his lap stroking him through his dress shirt.

Eventually he lifted her and placed her on the bed and took off his clothes as she waited and watched. When he was naked, he glided his hand up her inner thigh and then teased around to her hips, which she lifted so he could remove her panties.

Then without words he settled over her and slid inside. She arched as his aching manhood filled her. Their love making was slow and intense. Cleansing. Words of love echoed in the room as they lost themselves to anything but the feel of their physical and emotional connection.

"I love you, John McBain."

John raised himself up and looked down at her. His eyes were wet with unshed tears and he brushed the hair that was sticking to her cheek aside. "Tonight we start our future, the past can't hurt us anymore," he vowed.


	18. Chapter 18

Four Leaf Clover – Part 18

Summary: Started from Trinity's challenge of J/N engaging in an affair behind the Evangeline's back. Evangeline & the Walsh family are dead, the unsolved murder cases are closed and Jessica is moving to California to go to grad school. Natalie is finishing college and John and Natalie are buying a place together.

A/N: Thanks for the feedback, everyone! Now, kiddies, if you were paying close attention earlier in the story you'll have some idea of who this new character is…

>>>>>

"What are you going to do with your degree, Miss Natalie?" Nigel asked as he handed Natalie a glass of champagne at the little celebration Asa was throwing his granddaughter in honor of her graduation.

"I haven't quite figured that out yet, Nigel."

"Yes she has. She's going into business with me. We're going to be PI's." Rex draped an arm over his sister's shoulder and grabbed a flute of champagne for himself from Nigel's tray.

"That will be quiet exciting I'm sure," Nigel drawled before walking away.

"I haven't agreed to that, Rex."

"You mean you haven't talked to McBain yet. Afraid he won't give you permission?" Rex taunted.

"I don't need permission. I just haven't made up my mind."

"Pfft, you're fooling yourself. You know it's a great idea. I make peanuts from the LPD. With your family connections we can get some rich clients and really shake things up in this one-horse town."

"It's, um, interesting I'll give you that." Natalie smiled indulgently at her brother.

"We can call it Rex and Natalie investigations." Rex traced an imaginary shingle in the air.

"Or Natalie and Rex."

"Or something." Rex polished off his drink and looked around for more.

"What's up with you and Shannon McBain? I thought you were so in love with Jen." Natalie rolled her eyes at the mention of the ex-wife of two her brothers and the bane of her existence.

"Shannon's a cute girl." Rex shrugged.

"You mess with my cousin I'll shoot you and throw you in the quarry where no one will ever find your body." John came up behind them, surprising the siblings. Natalie bit her lip and took a sip of her drink.

"I need another drink, see ya, Natty." Rex took in John's expression, bussed her cheek and scurried off.

John took a sip of his beer and shook his head.

"So how long were you standing there?" Natalie asked, her eyebrows arched.

"Long enough to hear Balsom try to talk you into another of his knuckle-brained schemes."

"I don't think it's so crazy." Natalie didn't meet his eyes.

"You're not serious?" John asked incredulously.

"I said I was thinking about it and I am. It might be the perfect thing for both of us. I don't think I want to go to law school and being a cop, too many rules. Rex has been doing a great job with Uncle  
Bo, helping bust that burglary ring down at the docks." At John's doubtful look she rushed on. "He helped you get that big lead that led to your finding out who was moving the counterfeit DVD's through town. He's very good at getting information."

"And what would you do?" John took a drag of his beer.

"I'm calm in dangerous situations."

"It's you and dangerous situations that I'm not liking most about this idea. And I have plenty of reasons I don't like it."

"What do PI's really do, John? They investigate infidelities, find business rivals. Lost pets."

"You and Balsom will do more than find cheating wives, I guarantee it."

"But if I decide to do it you'll be supportive?"

"If? Sounds like you already made up your mind. You'll get no special treatment from the PD." John put hand on her shoulder. "If this is really what you want to do then I'll support you. I'm going to teach you to shoot, help you get your gun license. Sign you up for self-defense. Buy you a Kevlar vest."

"Jesus. Can't you just go to law school or become an evidence specialist of something?" John closed his eyes and shook his head.

"John, this is Llanview. How much trouble could we really get into?"

John opened his eyes and looked down at her, his eyebrows raised practically to his hairline.

Natalie chuckled and slipped her arm through his.

>>>>>

"I'm too wired to go to sleep," Natalie said as she waited for John to open the front door to the condo they had moved into last week.

"You're too tipsy to stay awake," John said.

"I'm not tipsy. I'm excited to be done with school. To be going into my new home with my boyfriend. John McBain is my boyfriend." Natalie snickered from her position on the doorframe.

"Yeah, you're not tipsy. You're drunk." John pushed the door open.

"I am so not…"

Before Natalie could finish her protest John pushed her through the door, pulled his gun and spun around.

"Freeze!"

"Whoa!" The man who had come up the tree-lined path exclaimed and held up his hands.

"Walk into the light so I can see your face."

The man slowly complied. Slowly the light from the front door revealed a man of lithe form, six foot tall, hazel green eyes, dark honey-colored hair and a strikingly handsome face.

"What the hell are you doing here?" John asked, not putting down his gun.

"Jamie?" Natalie asked quietly from behind John.

"Long way from Atlantic City aren't you?" John frowned at Natalie's recognition of the man, but then reluctantly put the gun back in his holster.

Natalie nudged past John and put her hands out for Jamie to clasp them, evading his attempt to hug her.

"Congratulations on your graduation," Jamie murmured as he lifted each hand to his lips and pressed a kiss to each, his eyes never leaving hers.

John's face hardened and he put his hands on his hips.

"How did you know and how did you find me here?" Natalie asked as she pulled her hands out of his grasp. "Roxy." They said at the same time.

"So when do you leave town, Moretti?" John asked.

"I guess I don't need to introduce you two?" Natalie turned and looked at John in surprise.

James and John stared at each other. Natalie looked back and forth between them, a puzzled look on her face.

"Perhaps we can catch up in a day or two, Kitty?"

Natalie stiffened at the familiar appellation and took a step back towards John, feeling suddenly all too sober.

"Staying that long?" John asked. "Too bad."

"McBain, we used to be such good friends. And Natalie and I know each other so well, can't we all meet up for drinks, perhaps tomorrow at the Palace? Catch up."

"We're busy." John bit out. "You cause trouble in my town I'll have no trouble busting your ass. Probably best you leave."

"You speak for Natalie now?"

"We are busy. I'll give you a call tomorrow, where are you staying?"

"At the Palace, of course. Do call, Natalie. We have something to discuss."

"I'll call you," Natalie said in a whisper and then disappeared into the house.

"Nice to see you looking so healthy, McBain." James Moretti turned and walked back into the darkness.

John made sure he got into his limo and watched the lights disappear around the corner. Then he turned and walked into the condo and slammed the door behind him.


	19. Chapter 19

**Four Leaf Clover – 19**

Summary: Started from Trinity's challenge of J/N engaging in an affair behind the Evangeline's back. John and Natalie have bought a condo together, Natalie has graduated college, she and Rex are going to start an as-yet-unnamed PI business together and James Moretti from Atlantic City has shown up in town, unnerving Natalie and infuriating John.

>>>>>

Natalie's pleasant buzz turned into a headache by the time she reached the refrigerator and pulled out two bottles of water. She was in the midst of pressing a cold bottle to her forehead when John slammed the front door causing her to jump. She kept her back to the entryway even after she heard him approach.

"How do you know Moretti?" He asked.

"Don't snap at me." Natalie turned and cradled the bottles to her chest.  
She was glaring at him even though the light shining around his form hurt her eyes.

"Sorry." John took a calming breath and sat down in one of the kitchen chairs and took the water she held out to him. He opened it up and took a long drag.

"If you know who he is then you already know that his father owned the Winking Pussycat. We hung out together, shot pool together. Whatever. He said you used to be friends?"

John didn't answer.

"Is this another of those secrets?"

"He's bad news and you should stay away from him." John's words were clipped. "What in the hell does he want to talk to you about."

Natalie stood up and took a bottle of aspirin out of one of the cabinets and poured a couple out and handed John the bottle. He took it and slammed it on the table without looking at it.

"There's something we should agree to here and now, John." Natalie turned back and faced him. "I respect that you have things you can't or won't tell me. It won't make a difference in how I feel about you, but I need and deserve the same respect."

John sat still in his chair, his need to know and protect warring with her request for a single standard. Abruptly John nodded and stood up and walked out of the kitchen.

Natalie leaned back against the counter and dropped her head.

>>>>>

Natalie lay in bed after John had gotten up at the crack of dawn to go into the office. She had pretended to be asleep even when he had whispered her name before he left. In truth, she had been up for hours and had barely slept the entire night.

When she had followed John into the bedroom he was in the shower. When he came out he acted as if nothing had been amiss earlier and had tried to make it a celebratory evening and Natalie had gone along. Inside, though, she felt like doing anything but celebrating. They shot some pool – one of the few things they had fully set up in their new place – and then went to bed. They made love and she fell asleep in his arms, but there were few words said between them.

"Jamie's here." She couldn't get the words out of her head, but worse was everything that seeing him dredged up from the corners of her mind.   
Natalie sat up and wrapped her arms around her knees and dropped her head. So many things she had thought she had gotten past, things she had pretended were forgiven or forgotten were spilling through her mind in vivid color.

Ever since seeing him last night she felt like the little girl in the closet hiding from her drunken mother and wishing someone would come save her. But no one ever came and the veneer of anger and defensiveness she had built around herself for protection was in shambles at her feet.

The memories, though, were the easiest to deal with. It was Jamie.  
James. He ceased being Jamie a long time ago. She couldn't forget that because she could see in his eyes he was here to pick up where they left off all those years ago and she couldn't let that happen. She needed to gather the strength and every weapon she could get her hands on to send him scurrying back to Atlantic City without spilling their secrets. If he did, John wouldn't be able to save her and he might not even want to.

>>>>>

"Come on, Natty. Can you be a little more excited about this?"

"Sorry, Rex. I just have some stuff on my mind." Natalie toyed with the straw in her diet soda. They were sitting in Rodi's where Rex had badgered her to meet him to discuss their PI business.

"We need to get some office space. And clothes. I need cool PI clothes."

"We need PI licenses."

"Licenses? PI's need licenses?"

"Yeah. There's even a test."

"Dang. I didn't know about that. Think Uncle Bo could fix it for us? Or one of your rich Buchanan relatives?"

"No."

"What about your money. Cramer's dead now, you can get the money out of that stupid trust."

"I don't need it. It's staying in trust for my children."

"What do they need it for? Come on, it could be seed money for our business. We can get some nice digs. Cool furniture. Lots of advertising."

"For your children. What a heartwarming image."

Natalie felt a chill down her spine, which she steeled before looking up at James Moretti looking out of place in Rodi's in his expensive suit and shiny shoes. She almost smiled when she saw Rex giving him the once over and clearly disapproving of the attire.

"Hello, James."

"You said you would call me today, K…Natalie." He corrected at her glare.

"We don't have anything to discuss."

"I disagree. Hello, I'm James Moretti, an old friend of Natalie's from AC. You must be her brother Rex." James held out his hand.

Rex made a face at the hand, but didn't bother to take it.

James took it back, shrugged and sat down at the table.

"We're in the middle of something here," Rex said.

"We have quite a lot to discuss. We can do it here, if you want?" James ignored Rex and looked intently at Natalie.

"Rex. Can you give us a few minutes?"

"You sure?" Rex asked, his eyes narrowed.

"I'm sure. Get me another soda, please, Rex?"

>>>>

"McBain. How did you get this number?" John sighed into his cell phone when he heard it was Rex.

"I won it in a lottery. Just shut up and listen. I'm here at Rodi's with Natalie and this guy, James something comes over and claiming to be an old friend of Natalie's, except she doesn't seem happy to see him. He's hitting the red zone on my creep-o-meter and she sends me off so she can talk to him alone."

"I'll be right there." John hung up his phone and grabbed his jacket.

"I thought you would." Rex closed his phone and leaned back against the bar and watched his sister have an intense conversation with the shiny guy.


	20. Chapter 20

**Four Leaf Clover – Part 20**

**Summary:** Started from Trinity's challenge of J/N engaging in an affair behind the Evangeline's back. John and Natalie have bought a condo together, Natalie has graduated college, she and Rex are going to start an as-yet-unnamed PI business together and James Moretti from Atlantic City has shown up in town, unnerving Natalie and infuriating John.

A/N: I threw a little something in here just for Jane.

A/N2: The leaves of the four leaf clover symbolize faith, hope, love and luck. The four leaf clover is a universally accepted symbol of good luck with its origin ages old. According to legend, Eve carried a four leaf clover from the Garden of Eden.

>>>>>

From Part 19

"McBain. How did you get this number?" John sighed into his cell phone when he heard it was Rex.

"I won it in a lottery. Just shut up and listen. I'm here at Rodi's with Natalie and this guy, James something comes over and claiming to be an old friend of Natalie's, except she doesn't seem happy to see him. He's hitting the red zone on my creep-o-meter and she sends me off so she can talk to him alone."

"I'll be right there." John hung up his phone and grabbed his jacket.

"I thought you would." Rex closed his phone and leaned back against the bar and watched his sister have an intense conversation with the shiny guy.

>>>>

"We have nothing to discuss," Natalie hissed at James.

"Oh, but I disagree and that's what counts."

"It's ancient history. Why don't you just go back to AC and leave me the hell alone."

"See, I'm not going to rush home. I'm expanding my business and my advisors tell me Llanview is the perfect place for it. That you and McBain are here is just, well, icing on the cake, really."

"I like my life here and I'm not going to let you mess it up. I'm not a scared little teenager anymore. You mess with me and I fight back." Natalie's voice was edged with fury.

"That's where you're wrong, Kitty. You'll do exactly what I want or I'll blow your perfect little life out of the water. Think McBain will want you after he finds out?"

"First of all, don't call me that. Kitty is dead and buried and she's staying that way. So you might as well scurry back home where you belong. Second of all, nothing you can tell John will come between us."

James grabbed her chin and put his face close to hers. Before he could utter the threat that was on his tongue he was suddenly pulled back and thrown across the room.

Startled, Natalie look up and saw an enraged John manhandling James, with Rex at his back.

"You touch her again and…"

"You'll what, McBain? You'll arrest me?" James grinned evilly at John.

"Stop it, John." Natalie tried pull John off the man. John ignored her and manhandled him another few feet.

"You want to know what I'm capable of, Moretti?" John his, his eyes murderous and his hands itching to finish what should have been done a long time ago. "You get of this town or you'll find out."

"John, please," Natalie pleaded. John let go of the man's lapels and shoved him back.

"As I was just telling your girlfriend, I don't plan on leaving anytime soon." James smoothed out his suit. "We'll talk later." He said the last words to Natalie before walking out.

John turned on Natalie, his eyes still murderous. "I want you to stay the hell away from that guy." He and Natalie stared each other down for a long moment. Then John visibly struggled to calm himself down and reached out for Natalie. Natalie moved away from his grasp.

"I don't need you take care of me. I don't need anyone to take care of me." Aware of how broken her words sounded, Natalie backed away and rushed out of Rodi's.

John watched her go then turned on Rex who was now standing with Adriana Cramer.

"Don't ever leave your sister alone with that guy!" John ordered and turned to leave.

Rex grabbed John's sleeve. "Who the hell is that guy and what does he want from Natty?" he demanded.

"Whatever it is it isn't good. You find out anything about that guy and what he's doing here or what he wants with Natalie you tell me. And watch your back." John turned and went to find her.

"What's going on, Rex?" Adriana asked worriedly.

"I'm not sure." Rex turned his worried face to the girl. "But I'm going to find out."

"Be careful, Rex." Adriana put her hand on Rex's arm. "From John's reaction it sounds like that guy is dangerous."

Rex nodded and looked thoughtful.

> > > > >

"Wait a minute, Buchanan!" John caught up with Natalie a block away from Rodi's.

"What did you think you were going to accomplish threatening him that way?" Natalie stopped and spun around to face him.

"He had his hands on you."

"I can take care of myself."

"It didn't look that way to me."

Natalie stiffened and raised her chin.

"Tell me what he has over you," John said softly.

"What makes you think he has something over me?" Natalie said evasively.

"I've known him a long time, I know how he operates. Let me help you." John reached out to touch her. She moved away again.

"There's nothing there, John. Nothing." Natalie paused and looked down at the ground and took a deep breath. "I don't want to fight with you about this."

"Then tell me nothing."

"You tell me. What do you know about him that has you so worried?"

John looked past her, his face blank.

"Fine." Natalie began to walk past him.

"He hurts women."

Natalie froze for a moment. "He won't hurt me," she finally said.

"Now or again?" When Natalie wouldn't answer he made an angry noise. "Just stay away from him, Natalie."

"I'm not doing anything with him, John. Rex called you didn't he? Then you know he approached us."

"You can trust me, Natalie."

"I do trust you, John."

"Then why can't you tell me why he has you so rattled?"

"It has nothing to do with you, John. Nothing to do with _us_. He'll get bored and go away."

John looked in her eyes and leaned in. "You don't believe that. When you're ready to let me help you, you know where I am. Let me take you back to the station."

Natalie nodded and, this time, she took his hand.

> > > > >

Rex stood in the alley as his contact walked away. What he had learned about this Moretti guy did nothing to quell his worry for his sister.

> > > > >

Natalie sat at her desk and pulled up the telephone number for the records clerk at the Atlantic City PD. She stared at the number for a minute and then exited the program. With a worried expression on her face she started organizing the files on her desk.

She didn't notice John watching her from the doorway behind her.


	21. Chapter 21

**Four Leaf Clover – 21**

**Four Leaf Clover – Part 20**

**Summary:** Started from Trinity's challenge of J/N engaging in an affair behind the Evangeline's back. John and Natalie have bought a condo together, Natalie has graduated college, she and Rex are going to start an as-yet-unnamed PI business together and James Moretti from Atlantic City has shown up in town, unnerving Natalie and infuriating John.

A/N: Sigh. I guess I'm not DH, I just can't drag this storyline out interminably as I had planned.

John dropped a thick file on Bo's desk. Bo reached out and pulled it towards him.

"What's this?" he asked.

"James Moretti. He's applied for a liquor license for a strip club he wants to open out on Route 94. Those are investigative files from the FBI, DEA and the Atlantic City PD."

"He's never been convicted," Bo commented as he read through them. "What do you know about this guy."

"I know that he's not here to open a legal business and Natalie is terrified of him."

"Natalie?" Bo looked up at John who was standing in front of his desk, too wired to sit down.

"He showed up at our place the other night and he was just threatening her at Rodi's."

Bo leaned back in his chair. "What's his connection to Natalie?" He glanced out the window to where his niece was working.

"She won't tell me, but…" John took a deep breath and sat down and leaned over Bo's desk. "I know this guy, Bo. Personally. We used to run together when we were kids. He was bad news then, he's worse news now." John put another sheet of paper on the desk.

"His father owned the Winking Pussycat, a club in AC where my mother used to sing. Where Roxy used to deposit Natalie when she was a little girl when she was out gambling and drinking. Natalie said she hung with this guy at the club."

Bo picked up the paper and frowned and then looked back up at John. "His work?" he asked.

"No one could pin it on him, but I know he raped and murdered that girl. I know other women he hurt. People respected his father in town, he was a good guy. It got his son out of a lot of trouble. A lot of consequences."

"What's he into now?"

"According to my contact at the Bureau they've been trying to nail him for drug running, hiring underage dancers, prostitution. He's rumored to have initiated himself with a local family by performing some low level hits."

"What does Natalie say?"

"She won't say a thing, but I know she's rattled. She's closing me out."

"Which means it must be bad."

John nodded.

Rex came walking in the side door and walked over to the window and closed the blinds.

"Do you ever knock?" Bo rolled his eyes.

"I've been asking around about that Moretti guy. He's badder shit than RJ ever was."

"Did you find out anything new?" John asked impatiently.

"Chill out. I'm getting to it." Rex bounced around and grabbed a chair and sat down next to John. "He's already setting dealers here and moving in on territory that doesn't belong to him."

"A turf war." Bo's voice was cold.

"Rumor has it he beat up some prostitute on the East End the other day."

"Did we have any case about that?" Bo looked at John who shook his head. A lot of those crimes went unreported so it wasn't surprising to any of the men.

Bo stood up and opened his door. "Natalie, come in here for a moment."

"Sure." Natalie gathered up a pen and pad and walked in. When she saw John and Rex she stiffened. "What's going on?"

Bo closed the door behind her and kicked Rex out of his seat and told her to sit down.

"This is the case file on Moretti. He's in my town to cause trouble and I'm not about to let that happen. I need to know what you know about him."

"I don't know why he's here. I've told John that already." Natalie started to stand up, but Bo motioned for her to sit down again. She slowly complied.

"Why do I feel like I'm being ganged up on here?"

"This is official police business," John said.

"Yeah right," Natalie scoffed.

"Damn it, Natalie," John started to exclaim.

"John." Bo held up a hand to silence his Chief of Detectives. "Natalie, no one here is trying to hurt you. We want to protect the people of this town and if you know anything that would help us do that we would appreciate it."

"I don't see how anything I know about a million years ago is going to help you. Isn't everything in your file?" Natalie's expression was mutinous.

John pulled the file over and dropped it in Natalie's lap. "Is there anything missing from here we should know?" He leaned closer. "A lot of people are going to get hurt. Innocent people. No one has ever been able to nail him, maybe you can change that." John was speaking from pure instinct, his instinct as a cop and his instinct as someone who knew Natalie as well as he knew himself.

"I can't tell you anything." Natalie stroked the file.

"Take a look inside that file," Bo urged, then glared at Rex who had opened his mouth to speak. Rex put his hand over his mouth.

Natalie put her pen and paper on the desk and opened the file. Minutes ticked past as she skimmed through pages and pages of reports. Tears threatened to fall as she looked at crime scene photos and read names of people who had gotten in the way of James Moretti's empire building. Her hand shook by the time she reached halfway in the file.

It was one report that made her gasp and the entire file fell to the floor as she jumped up and headed for the door.

Bo rushed after her, silently directing John and Rex to stand back. He grabbed her before she could open the door. He wrapped his arms around her from behind and held her up as she struggled to break free and to hold back her terror.

John hovered behind them, feeling impotent and angry.

"What did you see? What did you recognize?" Bo whispered in her ear.

Rex meanwhile was kneeling on the floor and picked up the file she had been looking at last. He looked at it, puzzled at it and then handed it to John. John read through it and then looked up at Bo, still trying to get through to Natalie with a dangerous expression on his face.


	22. Chapter 22

**Four Leaf Clover – 22**

**Summary:** Started from Trinity's challenge of J/N engaging in an affair behind the Evangeline's back. John and Natalie have bought a condo together, Natalie has graduated college, she and Rex are going to start an as-yet-unnamed PI business together. James Moretti from Atlantic City shows up in Llanview to start a turf battle within the organized crime world. He has ties to both John and Natalie.

A/N: Thanks for all the great feedback! I'm so glad you're liking this new storyline.

>>>>>

"I can't tell you anything!" Natalie protested, but she stopped resisting Bo's embrace. She bent her head and sucked in a deep breath, trying to quell the terror that began to rise up in her at the sight of the two bodies that had been pulled from the gorge. Visions of that night flashed through her mind.

"I can't breathe." Bo eased her down onto the floor. She was gasping for breath, her hair obscuring her face. " I. Can't. Breathe."

Flashback

"_Jamie? What are you doing?" Sixteen year old Natalie Balsom got out of the passenger seat of the black Camaro. Her red hair was rough cut down to her shoulders. Her make-up was heavy and worn off in places by the summer heat. _

"_Get the fuck back in the car, Kitty!" James Moretti yelled as he brandished the gun at the two boys who had driven up and interrupted their necking session. _

"_Jamie. Come on, leave them alone." Natalie's words were slurred from the vodka James had been feeding her steadily all night. More vodka than she had realized was in her drinks. _

"_I don't feel so good, Jamie. Please just take me home," Natalie pleaded and walked unsteadily towards him. "Please, let's just go." _

"_You want to watch, Kitty? Wanna watch me show these guys what happens when they mess with my turf?" _

"_James, let's go home. Come on." Natalie tried to grip his arm. He elbowed her and pushed her down on the dewy grass. She fell back and felt the world tilt around her. She hated feeling like this. Now she was just like Roxy. She flinched as she heard two pops in the distance. _

End Flashback

"Natalie, you're having a panic attack. Just breathe slowly," Bo spoke calmly. "Shhhhh."

John got down on the ground and took her cold hands in his. "Natalie. It's okay. You're here with us." John continued to murmur to her, trying to get through the panic smothering her.

"No. No. No." Natalie gasped.

"Should I get a doctor?" Rex asked and was ignored.

John put his hands on Natalie's face and tried to get her to focus on him. "Hey. Hey. It's okay. You don't need to tell us anything." He breathed a sigh of relief when she focused on him and her breathing got easier. "It's all right."

"John?" she said, sounding very young.

"Yeah. It's me. You're with me." John gathered her into his lap and began rocking her. She put her arms around him and settled into his embrace.

Bo stood up and put his arm around a resisting Rex and led him out of the office.

"Can you tell me what happened?"

Natalie shook her head and began to push out of his arms. "I'm fine. Just give me a minute." She pushed out of his arms and gathered herself. He kept hold of her hand and they sat facing each other in silence for a few minutes.

"You're going to hate me."

John shook his head and tightened his clasp on her hand. "There's nothing you could do that could make that happen. You should know that by now."

Natalie looked away. "You don't know this," she whispered.

"Hey. Trust me."

"I do, John. I do trust you." Tears spilled out of Natalie's eyes.

"What do you know about this?" He put the file in her lap.

"I was there," she whispered. "I never told anyone. He…he threatened to kill me and Roxy. He said the police would arrest me too. He never got in trouble, but he said he would make sure I did."

"You were sixteen then, you believed him."

"He never lied, John. Never. What he said would happen, would happen."

"Like what?"

Natalie shook her head.

"You're not sixteen anymore, Natalie. He can't hurt you. I'll make sure of it. So will Bo. And Rex. And the entire LPD for that matter."

"He'll kill you, John. If I tell you he will kill you, he'll kill Rex. He'll kill anyone who tries to help me." Natalie's voice was that of a young, scared girl. "I thought it would be different this time. But it won't be. I thought I could fight him this time."

"It is different now," John promised and stroked the hair off her face and brushed away her tears with his thumb.

"You don't understand. You don't know. There's too many people now. Too many people he can hurt." Natalie was rambling.

"If you testify we'll nail him."

"I can't testify!"

"You'll be safe."

"As long as he's alive I'll never be safe. I thought I was. I thought it was far away. A long time ago." Natalie shook her head.

John looked at Natalie, his mind trying to fit the pieces together of what she was saying. What she was not. The boyfriend warred with the cop, trying to bring himself back to a place of detachment. Suddenly a light went on.

"Natalie, who else did he kill? What else did he do to you?"


	23. Chapter 23

**Four Leaf Clover – 23**

**Summary:** Started from Trinity's challenge of J/N engaging in an affair behind the Evangeline's back (she's, thankfully, dead now). John and Natalie have bought a condo together, Natalie has graduated college, she and Rex are going to start an as-yet-unnamed PI business together. James Moretti from Atlantic City shows up in Llanview to start a turf battle within the organized crime world. He has ties to both John and Natalie.

**>>>>>> **

"No. I can't talk about this. I can't. I won't." Natalie stood up and walked away from him.

John scrambled up and went after her.

"No, John." Natalie was back in control. She turned to face him and shook her head. "No. I won't do this."

"If you don't he'll always have this over your head. I promise you no one is going to arrest you and I promise that nothing will happen to anyone you love."

"You can't make that promise, John. You just can't. You know people like him. You know him. How do you know him, John?"

John put his hands on his hips and considered his words carefully.

"We ran with the same crowd when we were kids. He was younger than most of us, but we knew each other. We played pool, chased girls, partied. Did dumb ass things. The difference was I learned my lesson and he never did."

"You said you knew he hurt girls. How do you know that?"

"He used to hit his girlfriends. Me and my friend Sam cornered him once after he hit Colleen, a girl in the neighborhood."

"Cornered him?"

"Beat the snot out of him." John gave grim smile of satisfaction.

"It's nice that she had you to look out for her."

John's heart sank. Natalie, he knew, never had anyone looking out for her. She always looked out for herself and everyone else.

"What are we going to do here, Natalie?"

"I don't know." Natalie turned around and walked to the coffee table and toyed with the cups.

"You have knowledge of a crime. I can pretend I never heard that. Is that what you want?"

Natalie toyed with the cups.

John waited.

"I can't do that. As you well know." On the last statement she turned and looked at John, a wry smile twisting her lips.

"I kinda figured." John nodded.

"What about the other things?"

She said nothing.

"If you don't hide anything from me, there's nothing he can hold over you. Even if I never tell anyone else. Do you understand what I mean?"

"You'd do that for me?" she asked, her voice husky, touched.

"Anything." John put his hands on her face and brushed back her hair. Then he took her hand and led her to the couch.

"It's not pretty. I used to see J…him around the club when I was a kid, but he didn't have much use for me. When I got older and I still hung around there he would challenge me to a game of pool. I had a really big crush on him. Then when I was fifteen he really started to spend more time with me. Shooting pool, trying to get me to drink, which I wouldn't do because of Roxy. We started hanging out outside the club." Natalie shrugged and looked down.

"He made me feel special, you know?" she looked up John who nodded. "On my sixteenth birthday he took me to a fancy restaurant and we walked on the Boardwalk. He kissed me for the first time. I was so thrilled. I had no idea…I'd heard some things about him, but I didn't believe they could be true. I'd known him for so long and he'd never been anything but sweet to me. Here was this older guy who said he found me beautiful and sexy."

John reached his hand out, hesitated and then took her hand in his, resting it on her thigh. He opened his mouth to say something when a commotion outside Bo's office distracted them. They looked up to see Bo come in, a determined look on his face.

"There's gunfire over at Pier 17." John and Natalie stood up.

John looked over at Natalie who nodded that she understood he had to go. "Be careful." She kissed his cheek. Distracted now, checked his gun and walked out of the office. A second later he was back and he put his arm around Natalie's waist, pulled her to him and planted a heated kiss on her lips, then was gone before she could react.

>>>>>

"Where do you think you're going Balsom?" Bo said as Rex followed him and John to the parking garage.

"I thought I'd, you know, help."

"You are not a cop, Balsom. Go…do something." Bo and John rushed off leaving Rex standing in the doorway looking disgruntled. Then he shrugged and loped back up the stairs.

>>>>>

Natalie walked out of Bo's office and turned up the dispatch radio so those few of them left in the squad room could track what was going on at the Pier. She tamped back a frission of fear at the thought of Bo and John walking into a firefight. "Nothing will happen to John, he'll come back to me," she told herself.

She took a deep breath and went back into Bo's office and kneeled down to pick up the file. She frowned as she caught glances of the various crimes this man she used to know was accused of. Her movements slowed as she became engrossed.

In the pages she saw the scared little girl she had been. Despite growing up as she had, for some reason her instincts had failed her with this man until it was too late. Mitch Laurence. The name echoed in Natalie's head and she closed her eyes in sudden horror. How could she have not seen it before? Older, handsome man takes an interest in the lonely girl and seduces her to his will, while she remains willfully blind to his true nature. It didn't sit easy with Natalie that she had been that lonely, foolish girl. Twice.

"You Natalie Balsam?"

Natalie started and looked up to see a man she didn't recognize standing in the doorway. She hadn't even heard him approach. She stood up.

"I used to be…" she started and then broke off when she realized the name he used.

The man nodded and suddenly she was grabbed from behind, a hand wrapping around her mouth and another arm lifting her off the floor. A big man. Strong. Her struggles accomplished nothing. She couldn't scream. There was no one watching. She was pulled out of the office.

>>>>

"Hey, Natty!" Rex came running into Bo's office. He was about to turn and leave when something on the floor caught his eye. Something shiny. He walked over and picked up Natalie's sapphire ring. He looked over at the back office door which was open and then back at the ring.


	24. Chapter 24

Four Leaf Clover – 24

Summary: Started from Trinity's challenge of J/N engaging in an affair behind the Evangeline's back (she's, thankfully, dead now). John and Natalie have bought a condo together, Natalie has graduated college, she and Rex are going to start an as-yet-unnamed PI business together. James Moretti from Atlantic City shows up in Llanview to start a turf battle within the organized crime world. He has ties to both John and Natalie. Natalie was about to tell John what happened with James when she was sixteen when he was called away on a case. Natalie was kidnapped from the LPD.

>>>>>

"What do you want, Balsam?" John growled into his cell phone as he and Bo stood surveying the carnage around them on the Pier and inside the warehouse. The cops had managed to grab one or two of the thugs before they lit out of the quick battle. They were being prepared for Bo and John to question them and CSU was here securing the scene for their work.

"Some guys took Natalie." Rex's words got John's attention. "I'm following them now."

John muttered an oath under his breath and moved away from the cops he had been conferring with. "You keep your eyes on them and stay out of sight. Where are you?"

"What's going on, John?" Bo asked when John disconnected.

"Some thugs came into the station and took Natalie. Balsam is following them out on Route 94."

"The strip club," Bo said.

"He's not hiding. First the station, then property we know belongs to him."

"He wants you to find him. Let me redeploy some men to go with you."

"Have them catch up." John rushed away.

Bo put the radio up to his mouth.

>>>>>

"Let go of me!" Natalie struggled to get free from the thug who was carrying her over his shoulder into the abandoned warehouse out on Route 94.

"Put her down, Bart."

Natalie straightened her clothes and looked around. She made a creeped out face as she looked over the sea of tables with the cheesy flickering pineapple bowl candles spread before her. "I know it was you, Jamie. You might as well stop with the spooky crap," she yelled out into the dark space.

"Ruining my fun as always, Kitty." The lights clicked on and James walked into view, his expensive shoes echoing around them.

"Rather dressed up for a kidnapping, aren't you? And what's the fifties night club theme? Did you really have to use red velvet?"

"There's that sense of humor I always got a kick out of." James walked until he was standing in her space. "There you were this spunky little girl with shocking red hair and an even more shocking mouth." He rubbed a hank of her hair between his fingers and then smoothed it down, trailing his hand down her chest over her breast. Natalie jerked away and glared at him.

"Does only McBain get to touch the merchandise? Didn't used to be that way, Kitty. Mmmm, remember?" He whispered the last to her.

"What the hell do you want?" Natalie hissed and backed up a step, knocking into one of the little round tables. The candles tilted precariously, but then righted itself.

"I told you what would happen if you ever told, Kitty." He put his hand around the front of her neck. "I told you I'd kill everyone you love. And there are so many more people on that list now, aren't there?"

"I haven't told anyone anything."

"But you will. Not all of it, of course. You won't tell Johnny Do-Good that you used to dance for me and my friends in the back room of the Pussycat. Or about that glorious night in the back of my father's limo when you finally succumbed to my charms."

"Charms? You threatened to kill my boyfriend Seth," Natalie snarled and moved.

"Details. Details. No. You'll just tell about the bad things I did. So, now I'm going to finish some unfinished business. And I'm going to get away with it like I always do. I have very good lawyers." He grabbed Natalie's arm and pulled her over to a chair where the two men who had taken Natalie tied her to a chair.

"Maybe when McBain gets here, before he dies you can dance for us like you used to, Kitty." James leaned in close to her face.

"Someone will be dead at the end of this, but I promise it won't be John." Natalie spit in his face.

James pulled out a handkerchief and wiped his face. He tossed the offending material away and put his hand around Natalie's neck and began to apply pressure.

"No, it won't _just_ be John."

>>>>>

"Over here!" Rex called out in a loud whisper and waved John over. John kneeled down behind the car that Natalie was brought in.

"They got her tied up in there. He hasn't hurt her." Rex answered John's unasked question. "What's the plan?"

"I go in the front door and get her out." John emphasized his declaration with a shake of his head.

"That's your plan." Rex rolled his eyes. "There's three of them and two of us."

"One of us. You're staying out here and waiting for back-up to arrive."

"Why is it you never show up with back up? McBain, this is a stupid idea." Rex shook his head.

"Whatever. Here."

"You're giving me your gun?" Rex palmed the weapon and looked at in surprise, then back up at John's face.

"He's not going to let me in there armed and he wants me in there." John handed Rex his radio and walked out into the open.

>>>>

"Imagine a grown man carrying a grudge for this long because someone beat you up." Natalie's words came in gasps until James finally let go of her neck.

"Is that what McBain told you? That I'm angry about some girl?" James laughed and threw up his arms to dramatize his bitter amusement.

"Colleen," Natalie said.

James shrugged the detail away. "McBain always was an annoying do-gooder. Narced on me to my father. I had to go without my allowance for a month. Even had to spend the night in jail once because of that guy. Not that Johnny McBain was such a good boy himself. Oh, the stories I could tell you. Maybe I'll whisper them in your ear when I'm having you for the last time. And I'll make you watch, McBain." Jamesturned around to face John, being held by the two thugs.

"He's unarmed, boss. We checked." One of them said.

James waved them away with a flick of the wrist.

"You're going down, Moretti, once and for all." The thugs let John pull his arms out of his grasp.

"Johnny McBain once again coming to the rescue of the damsel in distress. Except this time you're the one who's outnumbered."

"Can't take me on yourself, Morretti? Need your thugs? Need to use a woman to gain the upper hand?"

"Oh, I can take you on myself, McBain. And I plan to." James took off his suit jacket, his rings flashing in the overhead lights.

"This is ridiculous!" Natalie exclaimed, struggling against the ropes. "The cops know where you are, Moretti. What in the hell are you trying to do?"

>>>>

"What the hell are you doing, McBain?" Rex asked as he peeked inside a partially boarded up window.

>>>>>

John got in the first shove, pushing James over a table. But soon it became an even match of fists and falls.

"Stop it! Stop it!" Natalie struggled with the ropes. She could swear she could feel them loosen as she pulled so she kept doing it, not caring that it was burning her wrists. She was startled to suddenly feel hands on her wrist. She could see the two thugs standing off to the sides of the stage watching the fight, she wondered fearfully if there was another one until she heard Rex's whisper from under the  
table next to her.

"Be careful, Rex."

"Have you even noticed the smell?" He peeked out from under the tablecloth.

"Smell?" Natalie whispered to the tablecloth. She sniffed and then looked around. Fire! The fighting men has knocked over a number of candles, the flames of were using the tablecloths and furniture as  
kindling. "Fire! Fire!"


	25. Chapter 25

**Four Leaf Clover – 25 **

**Summary:** Started from Trinity's challenge of J/N engaging in an affair behind the Evangeline's back (she's, thankfully, dead now). John and Natalie have bought a condo together, Natalie has graduated college, she and Rex are going to start an as-yet-unnamed PI business together. James Moretti from Atlantic City shows up in Llanview to start a turf battle within the organized crime world. He has ties to both John and Natalie. Natalie was about to tell John what happened with James when she was sixteen when he was called away on a case. Natalie was kidnapped from the LPD.

A/N: Thanks for the really great feedback! I got hooked on Chlark fanfic for the Smallville fandom, so my head is totally there right now, but I wanted to get this part done. Next parts will be something you all like.

>>>>>

Natalie's warning distracted James and John was able to get in a punch that knocked the man out. John turned his attention to the thugs only to discover they were gone.

Natalie leapt out of her chair and ran towards John. Rex followed behind her.

"Where did they go?" Natalie asked.

"They have some kind of truck outside, they went that way. And we really should get out of this fire." Rex stressed the last word.

"Get your sister out of here, I'll go get Moretti."

"You're a real hero, McBain. Come on Natty."

"I want to wait." Natalie refused to move.

"Don't do this. Don't make me worry about you! Go. I'll be right behind you."

Natalie and John's eyes locked for a moment and then she nodded and let Rex take her hand and drag her out. Rex pulled the front door open and pushed Natalie out. "I'll make sure they get out." Rex ran back inside before she could argue and before she could follow she was grabbed by Officer Denton and pulled away.

>>>>

"McBain!" Rex called out as he moved by memory through the smoky room. "Where the hell are you? If I lose you my sister is going to kill me and you!"

"Jesus!" Rex swore as he tripped over a chair and almost fell into a flaming table. He straightened himself out and saw John. He was about to call out to him when he was a flash. Without thinking first he pulled out John's gun and rushed forward and fired.

>>>>>>

Everyone outside heard the shot including Natalie, who turned to run back inside the builder. Officer Denton wrapped his arms around her and pulled her back behind the perimeter of police cars as a group of officers ran towards the building. Before they could get inside, however, there was a loud crack and the roof of the building collapsed and flames engulfed the entire building.

>>>>>

"Are you all right?"

Natalie didn't even have the energy to muster up annoyance at the twenty-third rendition of the question she'd heard in the last three hours.

Three hours since the sound of a gun shot and the night club had gone up in flames with, as far as she knew, Rex and John still inside.

The far off sirens of the fire trucks were sounded in the distance as she watched and waited for something. Some movement. Tears were streaming down her face from the ash and smoke. That's what she told herself. Because it wasn't for her brother and her lover. They were fine. She would feel it if they weren't. That she had said those words when told of Cristian's death she conveniently didn't remember.

Finally. Minutes. But maybe only seconds. But it could have been hours two figures came walking from around the right side of the building. Through the haze of the smoke they couldn't tell who it was. Who were the two who got out when there were five men in there to start with?

"Are you all right?"

"Stop asking me that." Natalie stood up and walked over to the coffee pot. It was empty. With mechanical movements she started to prepare a fresh pot.

"We don't need anymore coffee. You don't need anymore coffee."

"When did you get so bossy?" Natalie slammed the plastic filter down on the table and spun to face him.

"Pretty much around the time my baby brother was born."

At the words Natalie's shoulders drooped and a wave of emotion finally rolled through her body.

"About freakin' time." She heard the mumble as if from a distance, even as the strong arms that the voice belonged to wrapped themselves around her and pulled her in.

"He's going to be all right."

Natalie nodded against John's chest and closed her eyes. Of course Rex was going to be fine, but she still insisted on waiting through his medical examination and questioning.

"I'm all right."

Natalie nodded again.

"So, now will you tell me if you're all right?"

Natalie laughed, the sound muffled by unshed tears, and wrapped her arms around him.

"They didn't find Moretti's body. Or any sign of the truck that Rex reported seeing behind the building." Bo walked into his office, not commenting on the sight of his Chief of Detectives and his Assistant slash niece holding onto each other for dear life.

Natalie tried to jump out of John's embrace at the sound of her uncle's voice, but he didn't let her get away. It was the first time she'd let him touch her since after the initial embrace she had given him out on Route 94. After that she had stepped away to let him be examined by the EMT's, to direct his men and then they went their separate ways for questioning. She had refused to wait until the next day, telling him in an eerily blank voice that she wanted to get it over with. They had been sitting in Bo's office waiting for Rex for almost half an hour and she would barely look at him. He wasn't letting her go now.

"He's still out there," Natalie said, her voice hollow.

"If he survives Rex's shot and the fire, he's likely picked up a new identity. The fire was staged."

Now, John let Natalie go so she could face her uncle. But he kept her close with a hand on her shoulder.

"I saw the fire start with the candles."

"Coincidence or a distraction I can't say, but the building was set to burn," Bo said.

"With our without us in it?" Natalie asked. No one bothered to answer. "So, Rex saved your life." Natalie turned to face John, smiling at the sour look on John's face.

"Balsom did good," Bo said proudly.

"I did, didn't I?" Rex came walking in the door, preening a bit, despite the smudges of soot marring his appearance. "Does this mean the department is going to buy me a new shirt?"

"No, Balsom, it doesn't." Bo rolled his eyes.

"Damn, this was an expensive shirt. No expense allowance?"

Natalie grabbed her brother's hand and squeezed. He turned on his sister and gave her a cocky grin.

"So, McBain. I saved your life. According to this grad student in Eastern Philosophy I dated that means your life is mine now." He rubbed his hands together and rocked on his heels.

John rubbed his eyes and shook his head. Natalie took pity on him and told everyone they were going home.

>>>>

Silence reigned in the car on the way home. They walked into the split level condo and wordlessly went into the kitchen. John got out two beers and Natalie looked around for something to make for dinner. John picked up the phone and ordered a pizza. Natalie made a salad.

After they had eaten their fill, they sat across the half-empty pizza box looking at each other.

"I'm all right, John."

John sighed and closed the pizza box.


	26. Chapter 26 Smut

**Four Leaf Clover – 26 **

**Summary:** Started from Trinity's challenge of J/N engaging in an affair behind the Evangeline's back (she's, thankfully, dead now). James Moretti kidnapped Natalie. John went in unarmed to save Natalie. A fire broke out. Rex saved John. Moretti's body was not found in the burned club.

A/N: I'm totally appreciating the writers on this list. I'm reading this other fandom fic right now and it's pretty bad…and I don't know why I can't stop...must write something…

>>>>>

After they had eaten their fill, they sat across the half-empty pizza box looking at each other.

"I'm all right, John."

John sighed and closed the pizza box. "You're safe, but you're not all right. Will you tell me what happened with Moretti?" He put his hand down on the table near hers and waited.

It was on the tip of Natalie's tongue to say that she had given her statement already, but she stopped herself. John deserved better. Their relationship deserved better. She just didn't know if she could go back there herself. She stood up and put their plates in the dishwasher then she stood over the sink fighting off the insistent claws of weariness that dragged at her soul.

John got up and put the box in the fridge without bothering to wrap them up knowing they would either have a midnight snack of the cold pizza or breakfast. He took out two more beers and turned to face her. Part of him wanted to let her off the hook. To tell her she could keep her secrets or that they could do it tomorrow. Or some other time that would never come. But he knew what untold secrets did to a soul and now that they had been dredged up they'd be all that much harder to bury again. He rubbed the bullet wound in his gut in silent affirmation.

John put the beers on the counter and put his hand on Natalie's neck. She was cold and he could practically feel the fear emanating off her. He slid his fingers through her hair and pulled out the makeshift pony tail. She closed her eyes and sighed as he combed through her tangles and sent shivers up and down her spine. He pressed a kiss to her temple and pressed himself against her side.

She turned her head and looked at him, her blue eyes full of shame and anger.

In that instant he could see the sixteen year old tough she must have been, the one who James Moretti had taken such pleasure in breaking. What little John knew of what happened, he knew that much. He bitterly resented that he hadn't killed or imprisoned the son of a bitch before he had ever gotten the chance.

Sensing his anger, Natalie turned her body and pressed herself against him and wrapped her arms around his neck.

He heard the small breath she let out as she felt his arousal pulsing against her. He wanted to explain that it wasn't just about sex, but about life and death. He slid his other hand through her hair and tilted her head back. Now, he could see need darkening her breathtaking eyes.

He took a deep breath and moved his hips back. Insistently she followed, once again grinding into him. Her breath was shallow now and it was only the sheer force of will that held back his need to drown in her. She had already been hurt enough, today and back then, he couldn't compound that with his reckless desire.

"I need you, John." She licked her lips and dug her fingers into the back of his head. She ground herself against him again.

He couldn't bite back a groan and he closed his eyes, steeling himself. Her hands moved down to his cheeks and she shook his head, forcing him to open his eyes.

"Erase what he's done."

He searched her eyes for any uncertainty. There was none.

As hot and fast as the fire in the club was the lust flaring between them. Their lips met and devoured. Natalie gasped and moaned as she ground herself against him, practically climbing his body. Their lips never parted as they tore off their own shirts and then reached to help the other with their pants. In a flash he was lifting her hips and she was impaling herself on his hot hardness. They crashed against the counter and then lurched to the kitchen table, a sturdy antique wood table that her mother had given them as a housewarming present little suspecting the weight it would carry. Natalie barely felt the smack of the wood at her back as they pounded at each other. She was only conscious of the pulsing climb of her impending orgasm and the feel of John's inside her. The feel of his quakes triggered her own spasms and her consciousness ebbed and flowed in flashes of color and light.

Oblivion was a bliss from which she did not want to return. But eventually the hard wood and John's weight dragged her back. She wasn't sure who she was as she lay there with him still between her legs. Was she the illicit lover? The loving girlfriend? Or the girl so far in over her head all she could taste was her own vomit as the sound of gunshots and trashy music rang in her ears? Or was she someone else entirely, someone she had never met?

John's words of apology invaded her broken thoughts. She whimpered as he pulled out of her and his weight lifted. It was, she thought, the only thing holding her together. She grasped his arms. "Please."

"Shhhh." He whispered and picked her up and carried her down the hall to their master bathroom.

>>>>>

She seemed to come back to herself when the water hit her body, but John was still worried at her unresponsiveness.

"Hey, Buchanan." He ran his soapy hands over her body causing the sweat and ash to melt off her skin and disappear down the drain. "You with me?"

"Yeah. Yeah." Natalie and her eyes focused on him. "I'm so tired."

"I know, baby. But you need to stay awake a bit longer."

She looked at him and he was relieved to see the sharpness return to her eyes. She leaned back against the tile of the shower, the light diffused through the glass block wall across from her made her look ethereal and he caught his breath at the sheer beauty of her. She was his Natalie and was always beautiful to him for who she was that sometimes he forgot what a head turner she was.

"I'm a lucky bastard."

"Yeah?" She seemed pleased with the declaration so he followed it up with a playful grin. "Is this going to be the confessional?" She waved her hand around the tile and glass shower stall.

"Up to you."

She ran her eyes up and down his body, raising the temperature of the confined space noticeably. Then with a disappointed shrug she reached behind him to turn off the water. "We might as well be warm and dry for this." She caressed him lightly before turning and opening the door.

>>>>>

When Natalie was done John had held on to her until she fell asleep. She didn't cry through her recitation, though he thought she should be. Lord knows he wanted to. To cry for what the girl had been through and to rejoice in the woman she had become. So many didn't.

Survivors, they both were. Like had recognized like the moment they had set eyes on each other. Through the lies and the facades, that had been undeniable. More than survivors, John thought as he breathed in her scent and smoothed her silky skin with his hands.


	27. Chapter 27 Smut

**Four Leaf Clover – 27**

**Summary:** Started from Trinity's challenge of J/N engaging in an affair behind the Evangeline's back (she's, thankfully, dead now). James Moretti kidnapped Natalie. John went in unarmed to save Natalie. A fire broke out. Rex saved John. Moretti's body was not found in the burned club.

A/N: I intended this to be a smut fest, but I'm just not feeling it this week, what with Jawn back on screen. I hope this is enjoyable. Kinda smutty.

>>>>>

"What do you say we play hooky today?" John asked the moment Natalie woke up.

"Mmmm." Natalie closed her eyes again.

"I've left Bo a message and turned off all the telephones."

"Mom. Roxy. Jess. Rex. Doorbell." Natalie warned snuggled against John.

"Maybe we should hop in the car and go to Memphis." John sighed and closed his eyes.

"I think there are more pressing concerns."

"Like what?" John opened his eyes and squinted.

Natalie caressed her palm over John's hip and then teased her fingers over his testicles.

"Is that a pressing concern?" John sighed and fell onto his back.

"Definitely." Natalie fisted his hardening penis and stroked him just up to the point of release; then she slowed the movements and raised herself above him.

"Very, very pressing." John panted.

Natalie slowly took him inside her body. She let out a satisfied groan as he filled her. She fisted her hair and, hot and frantic she rode him to completion. One his. Two hers. His arms wrapped around her when she collapsed on top of him.

"Good morning." John's voice was shaky.

"Yeah. It is."

>>>>>>

"They're going to show up here sooner or later. Don't you think?"

"I could put a do not disturb sign on the front door." John trailed bubbles up Natalie's stomach to her breasts. They were in the spa tub and she was lying between his legs and against his chest.

"Don't come in, we're having sex today." Natalie traced the words in the air.

"All day. All night. Into tomorrow. The next day." John traced his fingers around her nipples and pressed his arousal against her back.

Natalie hummed and pressed back against him. She was already sore from their morning activities, but the pain did nothing to dissipate her desire to merge again with this man. In fact, it seemed to enhance the need.

"I don't think I'll ever have enough of you," John said.

"You'll never have to find out." Natalie studied their entwined fingers.

"What are you thinking about?"

Natalie shrugged and dipped their hands in the water and then pulled them out again, seemingly mesmerized by the soap bubble sliding down and back into the water.

"Hey," he whispered into her ear.

She turned her head and looked at him. "Do you know how vital you are to me? I was just thinking how vital you are to me. Like air. Food." Natalie pressed a kiss to his cheek.

"Same goes for me. More than you could ever know." He captured her lips in a searing kiss. Natalie turned her body and straddled him. She buried her fingers in his wet hair and pressed herself tightly against him. Their moans echoed in the tiled room as they devoured each other yet again.

John put his hands on her hips and lifted her. A sound that was a half sigh, half moan of pain escaped her as he filled her. He head fell back and he nibbled her neck as he waited for her to be ready for more. His breath came in short gasps as he began to tighten around him.

"You're so hot," he licked his way to her ear and then he kissed her again. Again.

"John." Natalie put her hands on his shoulders and arched her back. "No. Don't move. Don't." She gasped and began to orgasm without ever moving. Their tongues and lips dueled as she pulled him over her sharp edge.

"I love you." He whispered and hugged her to him.

"Thank you. Thank you for saving my life. Thank you for loving me." Natalie held him tighter.


	28. Chapter 28 Smut

**Four Leaf Clover – 28**

**Summary:** Started from Trinity's challenge of J/N engaging in an affair behind the Evangeline's. John and Natalie are living together now. Having survived her run in with Moretti, an old "friend" from Atlantic City, Natalie starts a PI business with Rex.

SMUT

>>>>>

"Tell me again why we have to be here?" John tugged at the neck of his tuxedo shirt as if it was a perp trying to resist arrest and choke him.

"Because my brother Kevin asked us to put on a family front and support Kelly," Natalie reminded him as the stood outside the Palace Hotel ballroom.

"The newly appointed Governor supporting his ex-wife. I don't get it."

"I'm proud of him. He's handled Governor Brooks' impeachment very professionally and he's trying to make peace with Kelly."

"I caught him gloating a few times."

"In front of family." Natalie dusted some fuzz off the shoulder of his black jacket and then smoothed her hands down his lapels.

"I'm family?" John grinned.

"Yeah, which is why you're here with me tonight."

"I still don't understand how a woman who passed off another woman's baby as her own wins Woman of the Year." John sighed in resignation as she took his hand and they walked into the ballroom together.

"I'm not sure that any of the women who win this award deserve it. I think it's all a farce, although I haven't been initiated into the secrets of the group yet," Natalie whispered as they looked around for acquaintances.

"What's Michael doing here?" John asked as he and Natalie walked into the party room.

"He's here with Jess."

"I didn't even know they were friends." John frowned when he saw Jess walk up to him and slip her arm through his.

"They've been spending time together since Marcie died. She's been really good for him. And no, they're not dating."

John let out a little sigh of relief that Natalie caught.

"Yet." She shot him a wicked look. John's feelings for her sister hadn't changed since she fell under Haver's spell and then Tico's. "You should give her a chance. She's really changed since she stopped seeing Antonio."

"I know." John put his arm around Natalie's shoulder and hoped that the subject was dropped. He walked her over to say hello to their siblings and they soon split into separate conversations. As Jess and Natalie chatted about their mother's heart condition, Michael and John struggled to find something to talk about. Sometimes they got along like a house on fire, other times all the years they weren't in each others' lives snuck up and strangled the easiness. This was one of those awkward times and there had been a lot of them since Marcie died.

"Natalie looks beautiful tonight," Michael said as they watched the girls.

John nodded and admired the way Natalie's camel-colored suede dress flattered not only her figure, it barely skimmed her mid-thigh, but her coloring. Of course, John couldn't articulate it quite that way he just knew that it made her look inviting and sexy. He especially loved how it just covered her breasts with thin bands resting over her shoulders and then plunged to leave much of her back bare. He had tried his best to get out of coming tonight and enjoying the dress in private. Preferably on the bedroom floor.

"Good evening, John." Vicki Davidson's cultured greeting snapped John out of his lustful thoughts about her daughter.

"Hello, Mrs. David..er..Vicki." John shifted his weight and felt his face reddening.

Vicki bit back a smile at John's awkwardness at being caught leering at her daughter. She was half-tempted to tell him how pleasing it was to see her daughter's boyfriend so enamored of her, but decided it would only make him more uncomfortable so she just turned her attention to Michael.

As Michael and Vicki chatted, Natalie and Jess came back over. Natalie slipped her hand through John's arm and looked up at him. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"Your mother caught me having inappropriate thoughts about her daughter," he whispered.

"I think that's highly appropriate since you're my boyfriend." Natalie pressed her breast against his arm.

"Natalie!" John's voice was strangled.

"Hmmm?"

"Stop that or you're not going to like…" John was interrupted by the lights being flickered on and off signaling it was time to be seated and prompting everyone to mill around them.

"You're wrong. I would like it."

John groaned as he put his hand on her lower back and followed the crowd to their table.

>>>>

Natalie unfolded her napkin and dropped it very properly over her lap. It also covered John's wandering fingers. She smiled and pretended to be intently listening to her cousin Duke's story about a cattle round up as John tugged on the lace top of her stockings. She knew these particular stockings aroused a particular reaction, which is exactly why she wore them. Although she had not expected him to find out quite so early in the evening. She felt a flutter of butterflies in her stomach when she picked up the sound of John's breathing speeding up.

Deciding to play dirty, Natalie uncrossed her legs and left them slightly open. Her own breathing sped up as he trailed his fingers over the bare part of her thigh. Her fingers tightened around her water glass and she brought it to her lips to tend to her suddenly dry mouth. All of her moisture was sliding down to her nether regions.

Duke's story ended and the head of the Women of the Year committee began speaking from the podium about the organization and the history of the award. The award itself was not going to be presented until dessert, a fact that John picked up on despite his under-the-table activities. It was not good news, it meant that they would have to stay through the meal and he wasn't sure that he could do that.

He slid a finger over the crotch of her thong and confirmed that Natalie was probably thinking the same thing. He couldn't see them, but he imagined her nipples hardening under the soft suede encasing them. He moved his finger up and down and heard her breath hitch and she shifted in her seat.

"I think we have an emergency," he whispered into her ear.

"We do?" she turned her head, sending a waft of her perfume at him.

"An urgent emergency."

"Urgent emergency? Is that even proper English?" Her voice was husky.

"Nothing proper about it."

"I think you should go tend to that emergency."

"I agree." John stood up, grateful for the first time for his tuxedo jacket, and excused himself to take care of some business.

Minutes passed. Natalie toyed with the food in her plate. Even without John next to her, her desire was ratcheting up with each tick of the proverbial clock. When, finally, a reasonable period of time passed she got up and excused herself to go find John and see what was keeping him. It was mostly true.

She walked out of the ballroom and down the hall to an empty hallway. Her senses were so sensitized the echo of her heels on the tile seemed overly loud, as did her breathing. She finally reached the meeting room and turned the door knob. She could feel every bit of the cold metal surface of the door knob hitting her palm.

The room was dark when she closed the door behind her. "John?" she whispered.

Before her eyes could adjust to the semi-darkness she was lifted up and lain down on a long, meeting room table and her dress pushed up to her waist.

"I love those stockings. I'm going to buy you a hundred pair of these stockings," John groaned as he licked the lace. He pulled her thongs down her legs and bent her legs and plunged his tongue into her hot core.

Natalie moaned and pressed herself against his mouth. She writhed as he brought her to release. Before she could regain her bearings he was plunging something else inside her. He held himself over her and rode her to his own completion, her legs, still encased on those stockings and her heels, wrapped around his waist.

"I could not wait for that." John panted into her neck a few minutes after their cries of mutual release quieted.

"I noticed. I guess we'll never be proper and normal." Natalie wondered how badly her make up was messed up.

"Both are overrated." John stood up and handed her back her underwear.


	29. Chapter 29 Smut

Four Leaf Clover – 29 

Summary: Started from Trinity's challenge of J/N engaging in an affair behind the Evangeline's. John and Natalie are living together now.  
Having survived her run in with Moretti, an old "friend" from Atlantic City, Natalie starts a PI business with Rex. Everyone is at this  
year's Woman of the Year award ceremony where Kelly Cramer Buchanan is going to get the prize.

A/N: This story is not over, but is going on another short hiatus. Another story has overtaken my muse.

>>>>>

"Wow."

That was all John McBain could manage to say as he followed Natalie Buchanan into their condo.

"Wow," he said again as he closed the door behind him and followed her up the few stairs leading into the living room.

"I told you the Women of the Year awards are never boring." Natalie led them into the family room that formed a great room with the  
kitchen. She walked over to the fridge and pulled out a pitcher of cold water.

"I didn't expect JR Chandler to come waltzing in," John said. He had already tossed his tie and jacket somewhere and was loosening the  
studs of his shirt as he took the glass of water Natalie held out for him.

"I feel bad for, Kelly." Natalie said as she followed John back to one of the comfy couches, kicked off her heels and sat down next to him.  
He put his arm around her and pulled her against him. "I knew something would happen, but I never expected it to be JR Chandler to  
humiliating her about Ace. It must have been so hard for her…are you listening to me?"

"No." John kissed her head.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Weeeell." John drew the word out as he traced a finger down her bare shoulder and underneath the strap holding up her dress. "I was  
thinking about earlier in the evening. Before the theatrics." He whispered into her ear, his eyes gleaming in satisfaction as he felt  
her shiver against him. He took her glass of water and put it down with his on the coffee table next to the remote controls they hadn't  
had time to unite into one universal, however much they talked about it.

"What are you doing?" Natalie grinned as he manipulated them until she was lying on the couch and he was hovering above her.

"If I need to tell you then I need to work a bit harder this time." Natalie laughed and put her hands on John's cheeks.

"I am never going to get enough of making love to you." John leaned down and captured her lips in a sensual kiss that went on and on. When he pulled back to catch his breath his blue eyes burned over her face. He used his fingers to fan her flame-colored hair around her head andover the pillows.

"John, make love to me."

With a groan John brought their lips and tongues together again and slid his hands underneath her and pulled her up against him. He kissed  
his way down her neck as his fingers unzipped the back of her dress. As the material parted he helped the straps slide down her arm. He  
slid down her body with the dress, kissing and licking her skin as it was bared. As the dress hit the floor he began to roll down her  
stockings, once again tasting her sensitized skin and making her squirm and pant above him.

"John!" Natalie gasped as he nibbled her inner thigh. He chuckled and rasped his stubble against her. "Please!" With a satisfied grunt John  
touched her sopping wet core with his thumb. He made a satisfied sound and crawled back up her body.

"You have too many clothes," Natalie pushed his unbuttoned shirt off his shoulders and pulled at the waistband of his slacks.

"Mmmmm." John pressed himself against her probing hands, letting her release him from the tight strictures of his clothing. He gasped as  
she wrapped her hand around him and used her feet to push his clothing down his legs.

He buried his fingers in her hair as she positioned him at her entrance.

"Make love to me, John." Natalie gasped as he buried himself inside her. He slowly pulled out as she arched against him, her body craving  
more. She gave a satisfied squeak as he slowly filled her again. John's hands fisted in her hair as the moved with each other, their  
love making slow and sensual; their lips and tongues plundering and tasting each in rhythm with their bodies. Their climax came slowly and  
deeply. When it eventually ebbed awasy they continued to kiss, John's hands still buried in her hair, her hands still clasped on his strong  
back.

"I love you."


	30. Chapter 30

Four Leaf Clover – Part 30  
Athena13

>>>>>

"I can't believe you're going so far away." Tears clogged Natalie's throat as she hugged her twin goodbye. They were at the airport for a final, final farewell.

"We had a great summer and I'll be back for Thanksgiving," Jess promised through her own tears. The girls still clung together. "You and Rex are going to do great."

"You helped us so much this summer." Natalie pulled back and visibly struggled to get her emotions under control.

"Come visit me."

"Why do you have to go so far?" Natalie asked for the thousandth time.

"You know why."

Natalie sighed. Antonio had spent the entire summer trying to get Jessica back, but she wasn't having it or him. Only Natalie's pleas had stopped him from coming to Jess' goodbye party at Llanfair the night before and to the airport today.

"It's better this way. I promise he'll be over me before I get back and maybe then he can concentrate on getting a life. Maybe he really will finish law school now instead of just talking about it."

Natalie grimaced. Since inheriting the Santi money Antonio had been trying to get even with RJ who had retained custody of Jamie, hounding Jess and generally doing nothing with his life.

"Now, come on. There are other people who want to say goodbye to me." Jess nudged her away, but held on to her twin's hand.

"Like Michael?" Natalie said in a stage whisper, causing her fair-skinned sister to flush.

"We're just friends."

"Uh huh. Just friends last night on that hill by Llanfair's back fence?" Natalie asked.

Jess flushed even more and squeezed her sister's hand. She turned and saw Michael watching them intently and she felt the flutter of butterflies in her stomach.

"Oh my god! You're in love with Michael!" Natalie whispered triumphantly.

Jess turned and looked at her, her emotions written on her face.

"Don't go. Stay here!" Natalie urged.

"No. I have to do this. If…if it's meant to be it will happen. When we're both ready."

Natalie nodded and squeezed her sister's hand and walked over to Michael and John. She slid under John's arm and buried her face in his chest as Michael walked over to her sister. "Let's give them some privacy." Natalie dabbed a tear off her cheek with John's shirt hoping no one noticed.

"Privacy?" John echoed.

"Geez. Let's go buy Jess some magazines for the flight." Natalie laughed and tugged John towards the concession. She grabbed up a pile of fashion magazines and a couple of newsies and peeked around the corner as John paid. A big grin spread across her face as she saw Michael and Jess sharing a kiss. A shy one, but a kiss nonetheless. She started calculating how she could fan the flames of this budding romance and lure Jess back home as often as possible.

"I smell something burning."

"Huh?" Natalie, startled, turned to look at John who was handing her the bag of magazines.

"You're scheming about my brother's love life."

"Does that bother you?"

"Well, Jess has grown on me this summer and my brother has a nasty habit of butting into my love life. All in all I might just help you." John smiled and put his fingers on Natalie's chin. He tilted her head up and initiated a sweet kiss that lasted a few minutes.

"I thought you hated PDA's?" Natalie asked, breathless, her own butterflies beating madly in her stomach.

"You just have this effect on me." John put his arm around her shoulders and led her back to their sweetly whispering siblings.


	31. Chapter 31

Four Leaf Clover – Part 31

Athena13

A/N: thanks for the continued support of this story! I know I threw a curve last part, but the Jess who grows up in my story and Mikey who gets a backbone after Screech…er…Marcie was killed do work. Not much of them for a while though.

>>>>>>>>

"I can't believe you took that guy's case!" John paced in front of Natalie's desk, his movements jerky, betraying his anger. Not that he was trying to hide it when he barged in.

"I think he's innocent," Natalie said calmly as she stood up and closed her office door; not that she didn't fully expect Rex to have his ear pressed to the door.

"I get that you think he's innocent, but I arrested him. I assure you he's not!" John put his hands on his hips and glared at her.

Natalie sat down at the edge of her desk and crossed her arms.

"I'm telling you to drop this case."

"I can hear you. Rex can hear you. The pool hall next door can hear you. But there is no way in hell that I'm taking orders from you, Lieutenant."

"I should throw you in a holding cell."

"For what? Disagreeing with your professional opinion? For disobeying orders you have no right to give me?" Natalie stood up and walked over to John. "B&B Investigations takes whatever cases we damn well please and the police have nothing to say about it."

"I knew I should have held up your license when I had the chance."

"You should have what?"

"I didn't…that's not…I didn't mean that," John said lamely, backing up a few steps.

"That's the thing about you, McBain. You never say things you don't mean." She looked up at him, her eyes blazing.

"It came out wrong, I never actually tried to hold up your license."

"But you considered it." Natalie poked him in the chest.

John grabbed her finger and marveled at her fury.

"We've taken this case and I'm sorry if that hurts your ego or pisses you off professionally, but I have the right to my own opinion and my own work." Natalie pulled herself out of her grip and walked back around her desk. She picked up a pile of papers and pretended she was concentrating on straightening them.

John opened his mouth to speak a few different times, the expressions on his face changing as he warred with himself for a reaction. Finally, one won out – what he deemed the safer option. Retreat.

"Fine." John turned and stormed out, glaring at Rex as he barely jumped out of the way.

"Good going, Natty. The fuzz are already shaking in their shiny shoes." Rex walked into the office and sprawled out in one of the guest chairs.

"Shut up, Rex."

"Aww, come on Natty. He's just pissed because we'll find something he missed and he'll look bad. It's a guy ego thing. Go put on a skimpy outfit tonight and make it up to him. And for God's sake don't tell me about it."

Natalie sighed and sat down. She leaned forward, resting her elbows on the desk and looked at her brother.

"Are we doing the right thing, Rex?"

"Taking this case? Or any case that goes against your boyfriend's work? You knew it was bound to happen sooner or later."

Natalie nodded and covered her eyes.

"Are you committed to this? To me as your partner?"

"Yes," Natalie said quietly, peeking out between her fingers.

"Listen." Rex leaned forward, putting his elbows on the desk and grabbing his sister's hands off her face. "McBain and I don't see eye to eye on a lot of things, but I don't think he's the kind of man who would let his pride get in the way of your relationship. Or your career."

"I know." Natalie sighed.

"And when we prove that Wallace was set up by his ex-wife we'll be the hottest hire in town."

>>>>>>


End file.
